AMATEUR choirs and musicians from all over the North-west, including members of Bolton Symphony Orchestra, have been rehearsing for the monumental Mahler's 8th Symphony which will be played at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall on Saturday.

Bolton's own maestro, Paul Payton, will be conducting and the chorus master is John Powell is well known in this area. He is a former Head of Choral music at Chetham's and has a busy schedule as singer and conductor.

As well as conducting two chamber choirs, he is guest conductor with Fleetwood Choral Society, Choral Master of the Bolton Festival Choir and a tutor with the National Youth Choir. He will bring together a choir of about 400 singers for the performance. Soloists will include Lorna Rushton and Craig Smith from Bolton. Other soloists are Jeffrey Lawton, Adrienne Murray, Elizabeth Lloyd, Andrew Greenan, Susan Gorton and Catriana Fenech.

Choirs taking part from Bolton are: Bolton Catholic Musical and Choral Society, Bolton's Youth Choir, Chamber Choir and Girls' Choir.

Bolton Chamber Choir was founded in 1961 and is recognised as one of the finest choirs in the North-west. Since 1986 when John Powell became their music director, the choir has flourished, developing a reputation for vigorous, stylish performances and imaginative programming.

Their repertoire ranges from the sixteenth century to the present day and they are regularly involved in commissioning new works.

In 1997 the choir gave the world premiere performance at the National Federation of Music Societies' national conference, in conjunction with the NFMS's Adopt a Composer scheme, and the new work for 2000 is Just lost When I Was Saved.

Foreign tours have become a regular feature of the choir's activities, previous venues including Paris, Prague and Budapest. This year they will be touring in Leipzig.

Bolton Catholic Musical and Choral Society began in 1935 as St Edmund's Players, a Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

As their repertoire expanded, so their name changed.

The society has a wide membership and following, with more than 200 patrons and supporters.

Currently rehearsing for Pirates of Penzance, their highlight performances include Barnum, Carmina Burana and Verdi's Requiem.

BCMCS have created a youth theatre for nine to 16-year-olds. They have just completed Guys and Dolls and are now working on their next production, Bugsy Malone.

Recently BCMCS started touring and last year they visited Finland with their then Music Director, Paul Payton.

On Saturday's memorable occasion the Bridgewater Hall organ will be used along with a range of unusual instruments and extensive percussion.

Because of its requirement of such large numbers, Mahler's Eighth is seldom performed, so this is an opportunity of a lifetime for audience, singers and players. Tickets are available from the Bridgewater Hall on 0161 907 9000.