The search is on to discover who will be the Maidstone Young Musician of 2023.

Three judges will have to decide between eight finalists chosen on the strength of their performances at the Maidstone Music Festival last November.

This year's entrants include three pianists – Oscar Mi, Alma-Constance Denis-Smith and Melinda Monteza, plus two recorder players – Cora Hewitt and Maria Michaelis – saxophonist Jessica Powell, singer Elizabeth Knowles and violinist Gaia Lim-Taylor.

Doing the judging will be cellist Emma Cornet, horn player Nicola New and the head of music at Sutton Valence School Phil Horley.

Last year's winner was cellist Oliver Moh, who had previously won the Young Musician of Promise Award when he was only eight. He will be making a welcome return to perform again as a guest artist.

There will also be music from the students of Sutton Valence School.

The Maidstone and Mid Kent Young Musician competition began in 1995.

Each of Maidstone's three Rotary clubs has had a hand in it at certain times, first the Riverside Rotary, then Maidstone Rotary Club, and now the Dawn Patrol.

Over the years, the contest has been held at the Corn Exchange, at Kent Music's Astley House and at the Hazlitt Arts Centre.

The contest was not held in 2016 and 2017 but returned and was renamed as the Maidstone Young Musician of the Year.

It has since been held at Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone Girls Grammar School and Sutton Valence School. During the pandemic the contest was conducted online.

The competition returns this year to Invicta Grammar School in Huntsman Lane, Maidstone. It will be held on Saturday, January 21, starting at 7pm.

Tickets are £10 in advance (£5 for children), which includes refreshment, available from Clinton Davis on 07907 677445.

Tickets on the door will be £12 and £6.