A competition that has just moved to Bradford aims to find the future stars of the music industry – both on stage and off.

The AMP – Association of Music and Promotion – Awards are coming to Bradford after several years of success in Leeds and Harrogate.

What separates the competition from other “battle of the bands” is that it is not just musicians that get the attention.

Schools that take part choose a band to represent them, and are then asked to also involve students in marketing, management, photography and even social media.

Organisers say that by including this business side of the music industry, pupils will get a much better idea of what the rock and roll business is really like.

The Bradford final, being held at St George’s Hall on April 7, offers young bands the chance to play on the same stage that some of rock’s biggest names have graced.

As well as Bradford, the competition is also expanding into the York area.

In Bradford the schools taking part are Tong High School, Queensbury School, Shipley College, Carlton Bolling College, Brooklands School and Belle Vue Girls School.

Schools are invited to hold their own ‘battle of the bands’ contest to select a group from the school to represent them, and business teams have to develop marketing plans to help deliver the awards programme.

At the same time, budding young photographers document the bands’ progress through the competition, and get to have their images judged.

The awards were created originally by teachers in Harrogate and Boroughbridge in 2009, and have since involved hundreds of bands competing for places in the finals.

The most recent winners, Ripon’s Purple Mafia, have played festivals and gigs around the world, even jetting off to record in Los Angeles where they played the infamous Whiskey A Go Go club.

Guitarist Josh Stockdale said: “Winning the AMP Awards really kick-started our career and provided us with a showcase for our music. I would encourage any young band to enter. It’s a fantastic experience and who knows where it could lead. Look what’s happened to us.”

The first band to win the competition, Book Of Job, have since gone on to become one of Yorkshire’s top young metal bands.

Organisers decided to start the popular concert in Bradford after gauging support from local schools and Bradford Council.

Josh Hill, who started the contest, said: “We have been running for a few years in Leeds and Harrogate and we had been approached by a number of people in Bradford who asked if we would be able to start it there. When we got talking to schools it was obvious Bradford was somewhere we’d be able to expand to.

“One of the big successes about it is that its not only about music, it is about the whole industry. Bands are supported by hundreds of people, including from the business side of things. The schools set up their own business team to support the band and to promote and organise the events.

“The bands are mostly ones that are already together, but they can be newly-formed ones. The criteria is that the music has to be live, and original.

“Each school is charged with an area of responsibility. Some look after the VIPs and hospitality, others help sort the shows, others the publicity and some people take charge of the social media that goes with the competition.

“There is a photography competition running alongside this.”

He said that for each speciality the students would be mentored along the way, and in Bradford the Bradford Lions Club have offered support.

Mr Hill added: “It helps everyone who enters develop skills that they can take into whatever career they choose.”

The Bradford heats start next month.