LAHORE, Oct 20: A five-day music conference, primarily focusing on students and amateur exponents of this fine art, is beginning here from Tuesday (today).

The All-Pakistan Music Conference has sponsored the event as its annual feature. This is the 46th year in succession that the conference, participated in by singers from all over the country, is being organized.

The conference is scheduled to be inaugurated with a ceremony at Alhamra in the evening. The remaining four days have been devoted to singing contests at the Open Air Theatre at Bagh-I-Jinnah.

APMC secretary-general Hayat Ahmad Khan said that students, mostly of universities, have send entries from all over the country to compete for the Ghazanfar, Jamil Mazhar and Mazari medals and amateur singers for the Ansari, Abdul Aziz, Pervez Murad and Ahmad Meraj medals on Wednesday.

Mr Khan said about 100 students sent applications but 13 of them were selected after audition.

Similarly, 17 amateur singers were short-listed after audition. He said the APMC was committed to the promotion of Pakistani music and young artists. The APMC has been holding a monthly concert for the last 56 years for the purpose.

Noted artistes would sing folk songs and render semi-classical and classical music during the next three days. The conference would end with winners being given awards named after legendary exponents of music like Malika-i-Mauseeqi Roshan Ara Begum, Justice Ataullah, Ustad Sharif Khan and Saeeda Khan who made a great contribution to music in different times.