Dyfed Young Composers, a West Wales education programme, has been shortlisted for one of the 2014 Music Teacher Awards for Excellence.

The scheme was selected from over 200 public nominations and is the sole representative from Wales among the 45 finalists. It was nominated for the Best Classical Music Education Initiative which honours a project that has used classical music in an innovative way, shown musical excellence and had a positive impact on a significant number of participants. The winner will be selected via a public vote on the Classic FM website and the winner announced on February 7. Voting takes place at www.classicfm.com/concerts-events/vote-best-classical-music-education-initiative/.

Dyfed Young Composers aims to encourage young people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to explore the art and craft of composition. Every year it offers students the opportunity to work with professional composers and musicians and invites them to write for a professional ensemble.

Since the scheme began in 2002 nearly 8,000 young people have attended workshops, concerts and presentations given by Dyfed Young Composers.

Some 292 compositions have been written for a variety of chamber ensembles including the conventional string quartet, brass quintet and wind quintet as well as more unusual groups such as O Duo (percussion duet), Electric Voice Theatre, Lunar Saxophone Quartet and PianoCircus (six pianos).

The scheme is organised and managed by Young Music Makers of Dyfed which also runs an instrumental competition for young people in the region. Chairman Mike Parkin said: “We are thrilled to be nominated for such a prestigious award and to see our work nominated alongside much larger organisations such as Opera North and London’s Wigmore Hall.”