YOUNGSTERS from Newton Aycliffe and Shildon have been working with a team of professional musicians and performers as part of a national project.

Sound Inventors is a programme of composition and song-writing projects for young people.

A group of 20 youngsters, aged 12 to 15, from Greenfield School, Newton Aycliffe, and Sunnydale School, Shildon, are taking part in the project.

The scheme will help them to experience the composition process, from blank page to performance, with the help of established composers and performers.

Participants took part in practical workshops at Greenfield School at the weekend to develop their music composition skills.

They will eventually hear their finished work performed by professional musicians and take part in both studio and live recording sessions, receiving copies of both to take home with them.

Composer Stephanie Smith is leading the County Durham project with a creative team of two assistant composers, Emily Howard and Laurence Roman, and Newcastle-based string quartet the Priory Quartet.

A performance of all of the work produced during the project will take place on Wednesday, March 19.

Stephanie Smith said: "Greenfield School has fantastic facilities and the team and I have been really impressed by the participants' hard work and commitment.

"All of the young people have created interesting and individual pieces of music and the performance on March 19 will be a real celebration of their achievement."