Britain's most musical city? You decide

Most Musical City was launched as part of Arts Council England's Take it Away scheme, which aims to make musicianship accessible and affordable for all. Anyone who registers a vote will be entered into a prize draw with tickets for the End of the Road Festival in Dorset up for grabs.

Unsigned musicians can also register for the chance to represent their city in front of 5,000 festival-goers.

A host of celebrity ambassadors including Sting and Engelbert Humperdinck have constructed arguments for each of the ten shortlisted cities, and several have rich classical heritages.

Manchester's cause is boosted by influential composers such as Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies as well as its two symphony orchestras (the Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic), plus the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham's School of Music.

Concert pianist Mark Gasser, the Lindsay String Quartet, Ensemble 360 and Lesley Garrett are all jewels in Sheffield's crown, while Liverpool's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the oldest of its kind, will prove a big asset.

London's array of classical concert halls, from the Royal Albert Hall to the Royal Opera House, will spearhead its campaign alongside high-profile events such as the Last Night of the Proms.

The other cities making up the shortlist are Colchester, Brighton, Newcastle, Leicester, Bristol and Birmingham. To read more and cast your vote (before 30 May) visit the Most Musical City website below.

www.mostmusicalcity.co.uk

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