The Bay of Plenty Symphonia has much cause for celebration after receiving a total of 25 expressions of interest for its 2015 Rising Stars Competitions.

President Maggie Gething says the community orchestra received 21 expressions of interest for the well-established Concerto competition, and four for the inaugural Composition Competition.

A total of 25 expressions of interests have been received for the Bay of Plenty Symphonia's 2015 Rising Stars Competition. Photo: File

'Talented secondary school level musicians have entered from around the Bay of Plenty,” says Maggie, 'from Whakatane, Katikati and Rotorua as well as all over Tauranga.”

'Many different instruments are represented in the entries for the Concerto Competition, with several pianists, string players including double bass, flute, clarinet and saxophone players all wanting to perform their solo with the orchestra.”

Maggie says in addition, a particularly large selection of brass players have entered, including trumpets, trombones, tenor horn and even a tuba.

'The applicants have submitted an interesting range of pieces too,” she adds, 'from the classical to the romantic and modern. The judges are in for a fascinating time selecting the finalists.”

Concerto participants will now be busily preparing their pieces and will eventually submit videos of their solo performances.

From these videos, finalists will be selected to perform their piece with the orchestra at the Rising Stars concert.

Maggie says the young composers will also submit their written score and free orchestral writing coaching will be offered from Symphonia's Music Director Justus Rozemond.

'The winning composition will be chosen from the scores for performance by BOP Symphonia at the concert,” she adds.

'Participants will then have a number of rehearsals with the orchestra before their public performance at Graham Young Theatre at Tauranga Boys College on September 4.”

A prestigious panel of judges will hear the concerto finalists play their pieces accompanied by Bay of Plenty Symphonia during the September concert.

The team of judges will be led by nationally and internationally respected musicologist Peter Walls.

'Peter is a well known as the Music Director of Opus Orchestra,” says Maggie, 'as well as being chief executive of Chamber Music New Zealand, plus a past chief executive of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.”

While the judges are considering their verdict, the audience will be entertained by violinist Anna Lee, who won the Rising Stars Competition in 2013 at the age of 13.

The winners will then be announced and all the final performers will be awarded a prize.

For more information on the BOP Symphonia's 2015 Rising Stars Competition visit: www.bopsymphonia.org.nz