Youtube asks users to vote for web's best musos

Youtube is asking its users to decide which budding classical musician should perform in its online orchestra.

In December last year the video site launched a competition asking musicians to submit a video showcasing their musical talent for a chance to win a place.

Since then the Youtube Symphony Orchestra channel has had more than 3,000 entries from more than 70 countries.

A judging panel of musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra and the orchestras of Berlin, Hong Kong, Sydney and New York have now whittled this down to 200 finalists, including five from the UK.

They are asking the Youtube community to vote for their favourite one to help decide the three who will be invited to travel to New York to participate in a collaborative summit for classical music on 12-15 April.

The winners will perform in the Youtube Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.

Mr Tilson Thomas is the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, founder and artistic director of the New World Symphony and principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

To vote people must log onto the Youtube Symphony channel by 22 February. The winners will be announced on 2 March.