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Twenty-five young musicians are now in with a real chance of becoming the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Young Musician 2010. Having made it through the Regional and Category Auditions, there now stands only two rounds – the Category Finals and the Semi-Final – between them and the Final.

The winners of the five Category Finals, held at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay, on 7-11 February, will enter the semi-final, on Friday 12 February, where five hopefuls will become three.

Paul Bullock, executive producer of the competition, says: "For more than 30 years ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Young Musician has played a hugely important role in encouraging young musical talent and has helped launch the careers of some of our finest musicians. We're now looking forward to welcoming this year's category finalists to Cardiff for what promises to be another week of outstanding music making and hard fought competition."

The 25 who have made it to the Category Finals are:

Brass Category Sunday 7 February
Sam Moffitt, Trumpet (age 17 from Southsea, Portsmouth)
Finlay Bain, French Horn (age 18 from Ealing, London)
Anna Douglass, French Horn (age 18 from Fulbourn, Cambridge)
Alex Hamilton, French Horn (age 17 from Manchester)
Tom Berry, Trombone (age 18 from Bolton)

String Category Monday 8 February
Katy Smith, Violin (age 17 from Peterborough)
Callum Smart, Violin (age 13 from Tunbridge Wells)
John Hewitt-Jones, Viola (age 17 from West Dulwich)
Glain Dafydd, Harp (age 17 from Bangor, North Wales)
Anne Denholm, Harp (age 18 from Carmarthen)

Keyboard Category Tuesday 9 February
Frederic Bager, Piano (age 18 from Switzerland)
Sophie Dee, Piano (age 16 from Faversham, Kent)
Yuanfan Yang, Piano (age 13 - the youngest finalist - from Manchester)
Lara Ömeroğlu, Piano (age 15 from Watford, Hertfordshire)
Seán Rooney, Piano (age 16 from Newry, County Down)

Woodwind Category Wednesday 10 February
Emma Halnan, Flute (age 17 from Letchworth, Hertfordshire)
Chloé Greenwood, Oboe (age 17 from Rochdale, Lancashire)
Lavinia Redman, Oboe (age 15 from Clapton in Gordano, North Somerset)
Joe Norris, Clarinet (age 17 from Perth)
Ben Westlake, Clarinet (age 17 from Milton Keynes)

Percussion Category
Hui Wai Nok (age 18 - the eldest finalist - from Hong Kong)
Lucy Landymore (age 17 from Cambridge).
James Larter (age 15 from Northampton).
Oliver Pooley (age 17 from Manchester)
Delia Stevens (age 18 from Normanton-on-Soar, Leicestershire)

The Final of the competition will take place in the Donald Gordon Theatre, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on Sunday 16 May. The three finalists will perform a concerto of their own choice with the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ National Orchestra Of Wales under the baton of Vasily Petrenko, Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. They will be competing for the coveted title of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Young Musician 2010 and a £2,000 cash prize.

For the latest news, history of the competition and to see previous performances, visit bbc.co.uk/youngmusicians.

Notes to Editors

Tickets for the Category Finals and Semi-Final are £5 and can be booked from the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ National Orchestra Of Wales Audience line: 03700 101051. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9.00am-7.00pm. Standard geographic charges apply and calls may not be included in your telecom provider's call package. Calls from mobiles may be higher.

MJW