THE search is on to find a town's top young musician.

Stockton Rotary Club is holding the Stockton Young Musician of the Year 2003, as part of the club's 75th anniversary celebrations.

The competition will be for musicians who either live in Stockton or who are pupils at local schools or colleges.

There will be six classes - vocal, piano, strings, woodwind, brass and percussion, and the musicians will compete next February.

The class winners will go on to the final, which will take the form of a public concert in the town's Baptist Tabernacle next March.

Each class winner will receive a memento and a book token, while the overall winner will receive the Stockton Rotary Club Trophy and a cheque.

Brochures and entry forms will be distributed to schools, colleges and music teachers within the next few weeks.

Entries must be returned by the end of next October.