Contest for songwriters launched by Thame Town Music Festival sponsors

The winner will have the chance to perform as a headline act at the festival, being held in the town centre on July 13 and 14.

Premium British watch brand, Christopher Ward, will be the headline sponsor for the Thame Town Music Festival music industry convention and songwriters’ competition.

The competition invites budding songwriters to share their original music by submitting an entry via YouTube.

Helen McCall, Christopher Ward’s head of marketing, will sit on the judging panel for the event and will work alongside other members of the judging panel to create a shortlist of 10 finalists who will each be invited to perform on Friday, July 13, as part of the festival showcase.

The competition judging panel, which includes Christopher Ward, will then select the final winner who will win the chance to perform as a headline act on the second day of the festival, Saturday, July 14. The winner will also receive financial backing and support from Christopher Ward as part of the competition prize.

As part of the new partnership, Maidenhead-based Christopher Ward will also be sponsoring the festival’s music industry convention, aimed at supporting and educating musicians to help them understand how the music business works, make useful contacts and gain advice on advancing their musical careers.

The free festival was launched last year when more than 8,000 visitors enjoyed performances by over 200 musicians at venues around the town.

This summer’s event will take place in up to 10 venues including an outdoor main stage located in the High Street car park to showcase a greater number of performers.

Mike France, CEO and co-founder at Christopher Ward, said: “We are passionate about supporting talented individuals who, without our backing, may otherwise be unable to achieve their dreams. This is something we have been doing for a number of years within the sporting world, through our Challenger Programme and we are thrilled to now have the opportunity to extend our support to individuals within the music industry.

“The Thame Town Musical Festival is a fantastic organisation that we have admired since their launch last year, and so we are delighted to be working alongside their team for the songwriters’ competition in July 2018.”

For further details on how to enter the competition, and to purchase tickets to the event visit http://www.thametownmusicfestival.org/