We launched the 35th Aberdeen International Youth Festival yesterday - those of you who are in Aberdeen may have seen some great pictures in the Press & Journal of Pamela and Imogen, who will be performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The Festival is the world's leading festival of youth arts, and offers a unique platform for young talent and a celebration of youthful creativity and innovation. The Festival attracts an astonishing array of talent from across the world and offers you unmissable chance to experience high quality and diverse performances.

If we have got you name and address a copy of the programme should be on it's way to you already!

Alternatively programmes are available for download from the website or you can search all the events online and find out more about this year's participants.

The acclaimed Grampian Youth Orchestra is entering an exciting new phase this summer.

American conductor, Randal Swiggum, will pick up the baton to take the orchestra through its season at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in August.

Randal is the inspirational conductor of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra from Illinois which transfixed festival audiences last year with its high quality playing.

Randal brought something unique to the festival last year. He has a different approach to conducting and putting together an exciting and very different concert for young orchestras. He is well-known in the US for accessible programmes. Following the one he presented at last year's festival we were straight on the phone to him to invite him to create a special programme for the Grampian Youth Orchestra this year.

Randal's programme for the Family Concert at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen on Thursday August 9 will include Dvorak's Slavonic Dance, Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez and Copland's Hoedown.

The Grampian Youth Orchestra had its first outing at the 2006 Festival playing to a full house at Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen. Since then the orchestra has also won further acclaim for its flawless performance at a concert in May. Described as "remarkable" and "jaw-dropping" by critics, the orchestra draws on the cream of North East musical talent.

The orchestra now has its own director Neil Meldrum, who is also a trustee of the festival, and it is sponsored by local companies Balmoral and The Agency.

GYO is looking for young musicians (particularly string players) to expand the orchestra for the performances in the Festival. Young musicians with orchestral experience interested in joining the GYO during this summer's Festival should phone AIYF office on 01224 213800.

David Buckingham will be giving a concert in the Blue Lamp as part of the Festival, and also holding workshops in flamenco and classical guitar.

David writes and performs his own compositions for flamenco, classical and steel-strung acoustic guitar.

His compositions fuse flamenco, celtic and contemporary classical music and are played in both traditional and open tunings.

His style reflects his eclectic musical taste, which ranges from flamenco through to sufi and improvised music, which brings a fresh perspective and creative energy to his playing style.

David has performed in England, Ireland, Denmark, Holland, Spain Germany and France with shows such as Fame, Sisters of Soul, Carmen, and West Side Story as well as performing as a solo artist and guitar demonstrator.

He has made numerous television appearances and appeared at the Dundee Guitar Festival, Rhythms in the City Festival, Leeds, the Funk, Soul and Jazz Festival, London and the Edinburgh Festival, Scotland.