ILKLEY musician Anthony Gray has had his new Christmas Carol “Go to the Child” shortlisted in the final of the BBC Radio 3 Carol Competition.

Each entrant was tasked with setting the words of a specially commissioned poem by Imtiaz Dharker.

Anthony’s new piece has been recorded by the BBC Singers, conducted by Bob Chilcott, and can be heard on the Radio 3 website.

The winner will be chosen by online public vote opening on December 12 and closing on December 19.

Anthony said: “I’m thrilled to have been shortlisted for this competition. It was a great privilege to work with such talented musicians to record my piece, as well as to meet the other five finalists.” Anthony, aged 23, is a former pupil of All Saints’ Primary School and Ilkley Grammar School, and graduated from Cambridge in 2017 with a degree in music.

He has recently returned to his hometown of Ilkley to take up the post of Director of Music at St Wilfrid’s, Harrogate.