A FEAST of international music is on offer at Weymouth Pavilion next month when the Wessex Military Band hosts a massed bands spectacular featuring ensembles from England, America, Nepal, Poland and the Ukraine.

The show will involve more than 350 musicians from eight different bands.

The show, which will take the form of a military tattoo and the highlight of the evening will be a grande finale when all the bands will combine together to perform a Beating Retreat ceremony and the famous 1812 Overture.

The United States of America will be represented by the 76th US Army Band, which is stationed in Germany and returns to play in this spectacular following successful visits over the past three years.

Their programme will include music by the legendary American band leader Glenn Miller.

Ukraine will be represented by the Staff Band of the Odessa Military District on the Black Sea, a one-time Army and Navy Bands of the former Soviet Union winner.

The band has more than 50 musicians and will appear with their famous Cossack dancers.

The pipes and drums of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Ghurkha Rifles from Nepal will be making their first appearance at the show this year, while England will be represented by the Wessex Military Band and Corps of Drums and by the Horndean Band.

The Polish representatives will be the teenage female brass orchestra Olimpie, which recently came second in the Polish Youth Festival of Military Music in Wroclow.

After performing separately, the combined bands will take to the stage for a rousing grand finale.

Tickets for the Weymouth show at 8pm on Saturday, September 19, are £15, and we have six pairs to give away - see below.

If you miss the Weymouth concert, you can see the massed bands spectacular at Salisbury City Hall on Saturday, September 20 (call 01722 327676), Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on Sunday, September 21 (01202 456456), and Southampton Guildhall on Monday, September 22 (02380 632601).

Win tickets to the show

To have a chance of winning one of six pairs of tickets in our free reader competition, answer this question: Which country do the Ghurkas come from? Is it (a) Namibia, (b) Nepal, (c) Norway?

Put your answer on a postcard or the back of a sealed envelope with your name, address and daytime phone number and send it to Massed Bands Spectacular competition, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, North Quay, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 8AT, to arrive no later than Thursday, September 5.

The winners will be the senders of the first six correct entries out of the hat once the competition closes.

The competition is not open to employees of Newsquest (Southern)/W&PBC or their families, there is no cash alternative to the prize and no correspondence will be entered into. The editor's decision is final.