A FESTIVAL of contemporary music composed by students from Kent schools is being launched in Dover this weekend.

New Pictures at an Exhibition is based on works of art at Tate Modern, and is modelled on Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Under the guidance of artistic director Paul Patterson, a group of pupils from each of four secondary schools, including Astor College for the Visual Arts in Dover, have chosen a work of art at Tate Modern and composed music in response to it.

Each of them has been assisted by a young composer-in-residence recommended by the Royal Academy of Music.

The music will be performed by students from the Kent Centre for Young Instrumentalists from Maidstone, and an exhibition of pupils' artwork will be presented at the two performance venues in Dover and Maidstone.

Paul Patterson has composed the Promenade, which he has entitled Tate Modern Mobiles.

The conductor will be Sounds New Artistic Director Nicholas Cleobury, and the project co-ordinator is former Dover Girls' Grammar School head of music Rosemary Dunn, from Deal, who is Education Director for Sounds New.

The other schools taking part are Fulston Manor School, Sittingbourne, King's School, Canterbury, and Orchard School, Canterbury.

The first performance is at Astor on Saturday (March 29) at 7.30pm, and the second performance is at the Kent Music School, Maidstone, on Sunday at 3.15pm.