Under-18 inter-island battle of the bands launched

An inter-island music competition for under-18 musicians in the Channel Islands has been launched.

Music Muratti - named after the inter-island football clash - has been organised by the School of Popular Music (SOPM), which has bases in Guernsey and Jersey, as a battle of the bands in which musicians compete on behalf of their island.

Bands of between two and seven members have been invited to submit a video demo and finalists will be selected to perform at Beau Sejour, Guernsey, on Saturday 28 November.

The plan is for the final to alternate between the islands each year and be judged by a panel of UK industry judges, such as John Cattini, a senior executive at Sony Music Entertainment.

In Music Muratti every competing band must perform at least one original song, sets are limited to 12 minutes and band members must be aged under 18.

Judges will award prizes to the best Guernsey band and the best Jersey band on the night before one is crowned the overall Music Muratti champion.

Tyler Edmonds, founder and director of SOPM, said: "The Muratti name means something to people here.

"It stands for pride, for community, for two islands coming together and competing properly."

Both winning bands will receive a full studio and video session at their home island's SOPM studio.

Harrison Collins, joint manager of SOPM Jersey said: "A competition of this scale, with this kind of production, on this stage, for young bands from both islands - that is genuinely new and we think people are going to love it."

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