THE Minehead and Exmoor Music Festival launches its 54th season on Sunday evening (July 23) in Minehead Methodist Church with the traditional service of Festival Praise – a feast of celebratory choral music.

After the service, which begins at 6pm, there will be a display of virtuoso musicianship from two outstanding young musicians, Gregory Steward and Daisy Hickson, at 7.30pm.

Gregory, 17, last year’s winner of the Taunton Young Singer Competition, is a specialist vocalist and trumpet player at Wells Cathedral School.

Minehead girl Daisy Hickson, 13, has just gained a high distinction in the Associated Board Grade 8 examination for clarinet. She has won her age category of the Minehead Young Musician competition for the past four years and was the 2016 winner of the Rotary District 1200 Young Musician competition.

Admission is free for the young artists’ recital, which follows festival praise after an interval and will last about an hour. Those arriving after festival praise are most welcome.

The festival week continues with orchestral concerts at the Regal Theatre on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets from the Regal Box Office.