TALENTED musicians and singers will be filling Bolton with glorious music this week as they take to the stage for an annual festival.

Music Centre Presents comes to the Victoria Hall from Tuesday, March 13, and this year will be joined by the Bolton Choirs Festival on Saturday, March 17.

Bands, orchestras, ensembles, choirs and soloists will be performing music from numerous genres across the week, from much loved classics, to modern tracks and theatre numbers.

Carolyn Baxendale MBE, head of Bolton Music Service said: "We are all looking forward very much to seeing and hearing the achievements of our children and young people who are members of the Bolton Music Service bands, choirs and orchestras.

"Music Centre Presents is one of the highlights of our musical year and gives us a chance to celebrate the work of our weekly bands, choirs and orchestras."

Bolton Music Service currently teaches around 8,000 children to play a musical instrument through their work in schools, and runs 35 bands, choirs and orchestras for children and young people every week.

The service also supports schools in the delivery of the national curriculum, providing training for teachers, projects for schools and a wide range of curriculum development opportunities, as well as providing music activities for adults.

Ms Baxendale said: "Music is such an important element in a child’s education — it can help to develop a wide range of skills, confidence and self-esteem.

"We are committed to maintaining the very best music education for all children in Bolton and delighted to celebrate some of our work with you during this Music Centre Presents week."

Performing tonight are: Bolton Youth Percussion, Bolton Junior Concert Band, Bolton Youth Flute Choir, St Bartholomew's Primary School Recorders, Bolton Training Strings, Bolton Youth Clarinet Choir, Bolton Youth Concert Band, and soloists Joshua Brierley on trombone and William Sloane on tuba, accompanied by Jacqueline Tinniswood.

Performing tomorrow are: Bolton Junior Youth Orchestra, Bolton Beginner Percussion Ensemble, Eagley Infant School Year 2 Wider Opportunities Violins, Bolton Acoustic Guitar Ensemble, Ladybridge and Turton Junior Strings, Lostock Primary School Wider Opportunities Strings, The Joint Bands of St Matthew (Little Lever) Training Band and Farnworth and Halliwell Hooters Band, and Bolton Youth Brass Band.

Performing on Thursday are: Soul Patrol, Bolton Beginner Guitar Ensemble, St Mary's (Deane) Ukelele's, Great Northern Folk Ensemble, C-Rock, Bolton Intermediate Guitar Ensemble, Bolton Junior Percussion Ensemble, Bolton Junior Youth Choir, Bolton Saxophone Choir, and Bolton Youth Guitar Ensemble.

And performing on Friday are: Bolton Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, Lads a Cappella, Bolton Youth Symphonic Wind and Brass, Bolton Youth Choir, Bolton Bassoon Ensemble, Bolton Youth Harmonies, New Century Strings, and Bolton Youth Orchestra.

The second Bolton Choirs Festival will then take place on Saturday with choral expert and judge on Gareth Malone's BBC series The Choir, Manvinder Rattan.

The day will consist of two sessions, with performances from nine choirs, as well as refreshments and a workshop and concert by award winning barbershop quartet SoundHouse.

Bolton Music Presents starts at 6.30pm every evening, and admission to the Choir Festival is any time from 12.25pm to 4.45pm.

Tickets priced £5 for adults, £12.50 for a series ticket for all four performances or free for under 19s are available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/boltonmusicservice/11478260262 and https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/trust-music, or are £7 on the door.