Emma Knights Have you ever fancied yourself as a bit of a maestro, with the power to fine tune the beautiful sounds of dozens of talented players and create the perfect musical masterpiece in front of hundreds of people?If so, then tomorrow may just be your lucky day.

Emma Knights

Have you ever fancied yourself as a bit of a maestro, with the power to fine tune the beautiful sounds of dozens of talented players and create the perfect musical masterpiece in front of hundreds of people?

If so, then tomorrow may just be your lucky day.

For members of the Norwich Pops Orchestra will be at the Forum, and whoever impresses them the most when in charge of the conductor's baton will be asked to make a guest appearance at a show in Norwich's St Andrew's Hall on Sunday.

The classical show, Hall of Fame 2008, will also feature the rising classical star Jeanine Thorpe.

No experience is needed for the open auditions which were inspired by the BBC Two show Maestro in which celebrities such as comedian Sue Perkins, broadcaster Peter Snow and actress Jane Asher have been battling for the chance to conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra in front of 30,000 people at Proms in the Park in Hyde Park. Keith Hobday, violinist and manager of the Norwich Pops Orchestra, said: “We have all been watching the TV series with great interest and we thought it would be nice to get a member of the public involved in our show too.

“People often think a conductor just waves his arms around and does not really do much, but we want people to come along and see what it is all about. Anyone of any age is welcome to come and have a go. The winner could be a musician who has hankered after conducting an orchestra for a long time, or somebody who has not much musical experience at all.

“It is quite hard to conduct a symphony orchestra but we are not expecting people to be the next Simon Rattle - we just want people to come along and have fun.

“The winner will conduct one part of the show on Sunday, probably Thunder and Lightning Polka by Johann Strauss. We usually have between 400 to 500 people watch our shows so this will be a great opportunity.”

At tomorrow's competition 20 orchestra members, from the string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections, will be at the Forum waiting to be conducted by members of the public. These musicians and the orchestra's actual conductor, Geoff Davidson, will decide who will join them on Sunday.

Mr Hobday said Hall of Fame 2008 will be packed full of classical music favourites and that the orchestra was delighted to be welcoming violinist Jeanine, who Mr Hobday called a “real star of the future.”

Born in 1989, Miss Thorpe, from Framlingham, started playing the violin when she was just six and her talent has been recognised across the globe. She's also appeared in the BBC Two series Classical Star.

On Sunday she will join the Norwich Pops Orchestra for The Lark Ascending, by Vaughan Williams, and the Adagio from the Bruch Violin Concerto.

Norwich Pops Orchestra's Maestro-style competition will be at the Forum tomorrow from 6pm.

Hall of Fame 2008 is on Sunday at 3pm in St Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

Tickets cost £14 and £10, or £12 and £8 for concessions. Tickets for children are half price. To book, call 01603 628319 or go to Prelude Records, in St Giles Street, Norwich.