ASPIRING musicians are being urged to pick up this year’s syllabus for the 104th annual music festival.

Swindon Music Festival will put singers, composers and instrumentalists through their paces at the Arts Centre from Wednesday, March 13, to Saturday, March 23.

Classes include choirs, piano, strings, woodwind, guitar, ensembles, composition, brass, keyboard, church organ, singers and, new in the syllabus, is a piano solo class for beginners with their own choice of music.

All events will take place at the centre, apart from the church choir and church organ classes, which will take place at Christ Church.

The festival has spawned some famous faces over the years including jazz superstar Jamie Cullum, who entered in 1988, and film star Diana Dors, who entered under her real name of Diana Fluck, in 1938.

Festival vice chairwoman Sheila Marcer said she was appealing for people across the town to get involved.

She added: “It is important that all musicians and music fans come along and support us. Many societies have had to close through financial difficulties. We are jogging along gently but we would like to increase the numbers on last year.’’ Sisters Yuriko and Akane Gonda became the festival’s supreme champions last year, winning the Stuart Macpherson Trophy with a piano duet.

All class winners will gain trophies, with many donated by well-known names on Swindon’s music scene such as Sheila Harrod, Clarry Bean, Holmes Music, Ray Dance and Judith Sharp, or firms such as the Adver who donated The Swindon Advertiser Cup for Girls’ or Boys’ Solo (under eight).

Sheila said: “We have had lots of trophies donated in recent years and now have 100 in total. It is very important to us and their names are there for always, for posterity. It is also a good way of remembering people.’’ The festival began in 1909 as a one-night competition and last year had more than 600 entries.

This year, the adjudicators are Ann Lampard, Richard Deering and Roy Robinson. Richard is a concert pianist and recording artist who has also accompanied such known names as Julian Lloyd Webber, Nigel Kennedy and singer and actress Martine McCutcheon.

Ann is a singer who has been part of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. She is also a teacher and gives master classes to enclosed sisters in UK abbeys.

Roy plays both viola and piano and is a teacher. He is also a composer writing for violin, piano and small jazz groups.

The accompanist is concert pianist Paul Turner, founder of the Swindon Recital Series.

The syllabus needs to be completed and returned to Dawn Ball by January 18, 2013. For entry forms call 01793 644051.