A MAJOR musical event being held in Bradford this Friday featuring hundreds of school children, choirs and top local bands will be broadcast on television and radio.

The city will be the only place in Yorkshire involved in the first BBC Music Day, with City Park the main local venue for the day of events, which start at lunch time and continue into the evening.

The BBC created the nationwide event to bring people together across generations and communities through their love of music, and are working with Bradford Council's Music & Arts Service.

The eclectic programme, performed by young musicians from 51 schools across the district, will start at 12.30pm – featuring wind bands to Rock School, choirs and string ensembles.

Acoustic buskers will keep the public entertained throughout the day as they travel around the park.

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An interactive BBC Experience Tent is open from noon to 6pm, giving children the opportunity to practice reading the news, present the weather and meet characters from CBeebies.

At 1.30pm there will be a big community sing – ‘Sing Out For Bradford’, where the public will be invited to join 700 school children for a singalong with the lyrics displayed on the Big Screen.

At 2.30pm, 732 school children will come together for the first time to perform Connect It, a body percussion piece in the central mirror pool. BBC Look North’s Harry Gration has been filming rehearsals with Allerton Primary School for a special report on the performance for BBC Look North.

It will be followed by performances from classical groups, choirs and local brass maestros including Hammonds Saltaire Band.

At 6pm the Bradford Youth Brass Band joins Hammonds Saltaire Band for a special collaboration and at 6.30pm the Bradford Youth Orchestra will be performing with the prestigious Southbank Sinfonia.

From 4.50pm BBC Introducing’s Alan Raw will take to the stage in City Park to host performances by Maggie 8, Negative Panda, and Mexanines, with headliners Man Can’t Fly ending the evening.

After the concert ends at 8pm the evening will continue with music played over the Big Screen.

Between 4.30pm and 6.15pm there will be a parallel event at Kala Sangam. BBC Philharmonic players and Kala Sangam’s musicians in residence will perform a new piece written for BBC Music Day.

The Kala Sangam event is free but requires a ticket, available by visiting the BBC website.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Executive Member for Education, Skills & Culture, said: "I'm really pleased that the BBC has chosen Bradford to play a part in the BBC’s inaugural Music Day. We want as many people as possible to come along and get involved. Those who cannot make it can tune in to BBC Radio Leeds, BBC Look North or BBC Radio 3 where updates and features will be broadcast throughout the day.”