THE Southampton Festival of Music and Drama continued into its second week with the piano and vocal sections joined by strings, guitar, brass and recorder.

The audience enjoyed a full range of classes from solos and duets to large bands, community choirs and a string orchestra. Several new cups were presented this year, making more than 100 awarded during the festival.

The results for the choir section held in Central Hall, Southamp-ton on Tuesday and the final weekend are printed below.

Preparations are well in hand for Friday's concert which will bring the festival to a close. The selection of concert performers from such a wealth of talent seen during the festival is extremely difficult and organisers say they are sorry that they have not been able to include more of the 'shining stars'.

Thousands of people have been involved in this year's festival including adjudicators, many of whom travel long distances and stay overnight, participants, supporters, audience and a small army of helpers. The committee meets a number of times through the year to plan the festival and stewards enable everything to run smoothly 'on the day'.

There are also the soloists, teachers and pupils who prepare for months, choirs and orchestras who rehearse - and parents make sure their children practice!

The facilities at Thornden Hall have proved ideal for the staging of this event. It is hoped that, having found a new home for the foreseeable future, the festival will continue to thrive and grow to support the performance and adjudication of music and drama in Southampton and the surrounding area.

Tickets for the concert, priced £7 and £4 for students under 18, are available from The Arcade Bookshop in Chandler's Ford, on the door on the night or they may be reserved from Jan Ward in Thornden Hall on 023 8024 6579. The programme will be published on the Thornden Hall website later this week at www.thorndenhall.co.uk

For results from March 1, 4, 5 & 6, see today's Daily Echo.