MOST summer music festivals end up with their well-meaning attendees standing up to their ankles in mud in a field, trying to work out who's on stage.

But while there may not be muck at one music festival this weekend, there'll certainly be brass.

The Welsh Brass Arts Festival 2003, at Treorchy from today, is in its third successful year.

Tonight's Brass and Voices concert sees the Parc & Dare Brass Band in concert with Barry-born Peter Karrie, famous for his success in The Phantom of the Opera. Presented by HTV's Arfon Haines-Davies, it will also feature the Richard Williams Singers and the performance for the first time of a selection of new works for band and voice by Parc & Dare's arranger-in-residence Christian Jenkins.

Tomorrow the famous Brighouse & Rastrick Band, who may be remembered by older readers improbably topping the charts with Terry Wogan and The Floral Dance, pay a rare visit to Wales.

They'll perform alone for the first half of the concert, and will be joined by Parc & Dare for the second half to play Edward Gregson's The Sword and the Crown, and to premiere a new work by Dr Paul Mealor, Rhapsody on a Theme of Purcell.

And the weekend closes on Sunday evening with a traditional Last Night of the Proms style concert, featuring flag-waving, family favourites, and hosted by Welsh comedian Owen Money.

The New RCT Youth Brass Band will play their first festival gig, and Royal Harpist Catrin Finch will appear as guest soloist.

All the shows are at the Parc & Dare Theatre, Treorchy, and tickets are available from the box office on 01443 773112.