THE Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club celebrates a first for Basingstoke this weekend with its 16th Annual Festival of Music.

The evening concert - at Basingstoke's Aldworth Science College, at 7pm this Sunday - provides a unique opportunity to hear two of Hampshire's leading instrumental and vocal groups.

The Hampshire County Youth Band, winners of the BBC Radio 2 Youth Band of the Year 2003, are now under the new direction of Jock McKenzie, who has already made his mark with the band, receiving a special invitation to lead the School Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

They have also recorded a new CD, just in time for Christmas.

The Hampshire County Youth Choir, under the direction of Keith Clark, are also achieving a growing reputation with appearances on television in Italy, Denmark and Canada.

The standard of the choir is confirmed by Mike Brewer OBE, the conductor of the National Youth Choir, being a regular guest conductor.

They have appeared in some of the great cathedrals of the world, and, for the very first time, will perform at Winchester Cathedral with the band, as well as the famous Welsh choir Morriston Orpheus, in April next year.

Both the band and the choir are part of the Hampshire County Music Service.

Pupils attending schools in Hampshire should contact the service in the first instance if they are interested in joining either organisation.

Tickets for the concert, priced £8, are available from the Haymarket Theatre box office on 0870 770 1088.