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The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is today launching an ambitious musical project for Yorkshire.

A Symphony for Yorkshire will involve the making of a short musical film by musicians from around the county following open auditions and a competition to write the lyrics to a new Yorkshire Anthem.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Head of Yorkshire, Helen Thomas, said: "We are putting together A Symphony for Yorkshire which will involve musicians from all over the county getting together to play a new Yorkshire Anthem. First of all though, we need words for the anthem so we want people to submit poems/lyrics of between eight and 12 lines long describing what exactly Yorkshire means to them.

"We are looking for something a little unusual, something creative, with some flair – but also something that people around the county will recognise and respond to. Yorkshire men and women live in God's Own County and we want to celebrate that fact with a rousing musical tribute."

The poem does not have to rhyme but does need to be original. People of any age can enter and the closing date is midday on 19 April.

The winner's verse will be set to music, composed by Benjamin Till, and played by musicians of all types and all ages across Yorkshire.

Anyone wanting to submit lyrics for the Yorkshire Anthem should send their entry to A Symphony for Yorkshire, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Broadcasting Centre, 2 St Peters Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH or email: yorkshirepoem@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, address, contact number and age.

The competition will be followed by open auditions for musicians across the region to play in the symphony.

The premier of A Symphony for Yorkshire will be aired on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Look North and on the four ´óÏó´«Ã½ local radio stations across Yorkshire – Leeds, Sheffield, York and Humberside – on Yorkshire Day, Sunday 1 August.

More details of the auditions will be announced next month.

AB2