TIME is fast running out to enter music in the Vale's prestigious competitions - Vale Young Singer of the Year and Vale Young Musician of the Year.

Both competitions will be staged on the weekend of November 10/11. The closing date for entries is Friday, October 27 so if you are a singer aged between 10 and 22 years, or an instrumentalist aged between 10 and 20 years on the date of the competition, don't delay - enter now.

The competitions are open and not confined to young people living in the Vale. They are designed to give all entrants, including beginners, the opportunity to experience performing before an audience, perhaps for the first time. However, the standard of the finals is high.

There are three age groups for instrumentalists: 10 years to 13 years, 14 years to 17 years and 18 years to 20 years; and three age groups for the singers, 10 years to 13 years, 14 years to 17 years and 18 years to 22 years. Cash prizes and trophies are awarded to the winners. All finalists are presented with a certificate.

This year the venue for the competition will be in Barry Comprehensive Upper School, Port Road West.

Preliminaries are held during the day when relations and the public are invited free of charge.

The finals are staged on the same evening when there is a small charge.

The adjudicators are well known experts in their field and this year will be Mervyn Burtch and Euros Rhys-Williams. Both competitions are well established and important parts of the Vale cultural scene, but there is no reason for newcomers to be nervous.

The committee has had a great deal of experience over the years and are always available to help with any problem, or just to offer reassurance. It is hoped to arrange for the senior winners of both competitions to take part in separate prestigious concerts with a well known orchestra or choir.

Don't miss out, apply for your entry form now - there is very little time left. You can make this musical weekend a resounding success.

Entry forms for singers and instrumentalists: Phone Music in the Vale, c/o Fordthorne on 02920 223100, or apply in writing to Music in the Vale, c/o Fordthorne, 281 Penarth Road, Cardiff, CF1 7YZ.

For all other enquiries telephone 01446 735904.