Young performers showcase musical talent at festival

22nd November 2012

350 young musicians from across the Highlands took part in a day long music festival on Saturday (17 November) at the Osprey Arena at the MacDonald Aviemore Resort.
First to take to the stage was the Highland Schools Wind Band with conductor Mark Reynolds who led the young musicians through an ambitious programme featuring A Monmouth Overture, Karl Jenkins’ Palladio arranged by Robert Longfield, Broken Sword and The Incredibles.

The Gaelic group Còisir G opened their set with a beautiful Irish love song translated into Scottish Gaelic which they had performed earlier this year at the Belladrum Music Festival. To mark the year of the Disney hit film “Brave”, they also sang the song from the film made famous by Julie Fowlis with Eilidh Cormack from Portree performing the solo.
The Highland Youth Big Band blasted onto the stage with a foot tapping set and was hotly followed by the rousing sound of the Highland Youth Pipe Band led by Pipe Major Cameron MacDougall.

Next to take to the stage was the Highland Youth String Orchestra conducted by Rick Lusher. Their set started with Holst, March from Suite No 1, moved to Ravel and ended with a medley of various film tunes including The Glory Days, Ratatouille and, You’ve got a friend in me. They were followed by the traditional music group `snas and then the Highland Youth Choir who opened with a traditional Zulu song, Hamba Lulu.

The final group to perform and bring the day long music festival to an end was the Highland Regional Youth Orchestra conducted by Susan Dingle. The talented young musicians performed Webers’ Der Freischutz Overture and Night on the Bare Mountain by Mussirgsky which was premiered in Saint Petersbur in 1886.

The eight Highland Regional Music Groups that took part are organised and run by The Highland Council as an extension to the work of the Instrumental Tuition Service in Highland. Membership for all groups is by invitation after an Audition Day held in May each year. The musicians ranged in age from 10 years to 18 years.

The Council’s Director of Education, Culture and Sport, Hugh Fraser congratulated all the young musicians. He said: “I’d like to thank all the young people and their instructors for their hard work and commitment over the year to make today such a resounding success. The Festival has given the performers a great opportunity to entertain and demonstrate their musical skill and it has also given us the opportunity to look forward to a flourishing musical future in the Highlands.”

PHOTO
Ewan Wetherspoon