WITH the likes of The X Factor and So You Think You Can Dance enjoying prime time TV slots, we’ve really got the bug for music and dance competitions. And thousands of people of all ages are gearing up to take part in a more local - but no less intensive - contest which starts on Monday.

The Bournemouth Music Competitions Festival, now in its 83rd season, brings many hundreds of talented musicians, singers, dancers and actors together for three weeks of friendly competition.

A hugely successful dance programme kicked things off in energetic style recently, with around 700 entries from boys and girls aged from three to 21 years trying to win the judges over with their hip-hop, song and dance, modern, classical, character and tap.

Now the vocal chords and the instruments are being limbered up for the music, speech and drama competitions are taking place over two weeks starting on June 27.

With everything from barbershop quartets and folk songs to operatic arias, spirituals and Victorian parlour music, the vocal programme alone promises a packed timetable of entertainment.

Add to that poetry, newsreading, drama, prose, much tickling of ivories and the swell of woodwind and brass, there can be little doubt the rafters of the Pavilion Theatre and the Bournemouth Natural Science Society will be well and truly raised.

And the good news is that the public can watch the events unfold for as little as £4 a day or £16 for a two-week ticket.

The festival attracts performers from across the south coast, and will culminate in a Festival concert at the Pavilion Theatre on July 9.

Many past performers have gone on to great things, including Poole-born Natalie Clein who is currently at the top of the classical tree.

Festival chairman Douglas Eyre said: “It’s amazing to have so much talent based locally.

“Not only are there competitors from dance and drama schools, but we are thrilled to have more entries from mainstream schools this year.”

Mr Eyre said that there were more primary schools taking place than ever before, but the range of ages also remains diverse, with entries from singers ‘well into their retirement’.

“Proving immensely popular in the vocal class is the stage musical section,” he added.

“Modern choirs also create a great spectacle, as they have fantastic movement and choreography.”

But amid the fun is the thrill and focus of competition. The Festival is often the first experience that many entrants have of performing to an audience.

“It’s very disciplined and can be demanding on the youngster,” said Mr Eyre.

They are under the scrutiny of professional adjudicators, but there is none of the harshness of the X Factor.

“The judging is slightly more scientific!” he said.

“And everyone gets feedback which hopefully will make them improve on future performances.”

The annual event has been an integral part of the town’s cultural calendar since the 1920s.

It was founded in 1926 by Sir Dan Godfrey, conductor of what was to become the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

The competition really took off the following year when 7,000 competitors gathered at the Winter Gardens.

Mr Eyre said: “Over the years we have tried to evolve as a festival – tuning in to modern society while respecting the event’s historical and cultural integrity.”

New for 2011 is the sacred song category, featuring any sung work of church music. The winner will receive an award in memory of the late David Marris who was a dedicated committee member.

“And for the first time this year we have had the contemporary and street dance including hip hop.

“If Sir Dan were looking down today, he would find some of it difficult to recognise, but no doubt he would be pleased the competition was still going strong in the town.”

• The Bournemouth Music Competitions Festival (June 27 to July 9) will be held at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society in Christchurch Road, and the Pavilion Theatre.