Budgie owners are invited to bring their birds to a medicine festival this month to test an international composer’s abilities to soothe both birds and people.

Electronic engineer-turned composer John Levine is offering to demonstrate the powers of his healing Alphamusic for humans by soothing budgerigars to sleep with music he has written.

Mr Levine, who was featured on Australian national television, is confident he can use his music to quieten down chirpy budgies brought along to the Ilkley Complementary Festival at Ilkley’s King’s Hall and Winter Garden on October 30 and 31.

And he said the music can have the same affect on people too.

The secret, he claims, lies in harnessing brainwaves using the power of sound, and making the brain settle into a calmer ‘alpha state’.

After spending several years in commercial music, working with the likes of Australian bands INXS and Midnight Oil, he pursued his interest in meditation and the healing properties of music.

He says people who have listened to his music have reported feeling calmer and claims it has reduced hyperactivity in children, and calmed youngsters in a primary school and a children’s hospital.

But to demonstrate that Alphamusic does not rely on a placebo effect, he used the music on pet budgies Cziko, Czako and Dako, quietening them down and eventually putting them to sleep.

He now plans to show he can do the same thing to Ilkley budgies.

Since composing Silence of Peace in 1984, Mr Levine has sold more than 200,000 CDs.

Mr Levine will have a stand set up at the two-day festival.

Experts in a wide range of alternative and complementary therapies and health products will descend on Ilkley at the end of this month for the second festival of the year. The event, run by Michael Weaver, of Guiseley, is hailed as the country’s premier festival promoting natural remedies.

More than 100 stands are expected to be set up in the main venue, promoting everything from reiki to healing crystals. Places can be booked on the day at workshops and demonstrations.

Places can be booked online for Festival Fringe workshops held at Upstagers Theatre Barn close to the King’s Hall on Saturday, October 30.

The festival will be open from 10am to 5pm both days. Admission costs £3.50 for adults and £3 for concessions, under 16s get in free. For details visit icmf.co.uk.