Highland’s premier musicians compete
Fifteen of the Highland’s most talented young musicians will gather at Drumossie Hotel, Inverness on Sunday 27th May as they complete for the titles of ‘Highland Young Musician of the Year 2012’ and ‘Highland Young Guitarist 2012’.
The Young Musician competition is now in its sixth year and is open to all those who are currently members of any of the Highland Regional Music Groups with the first 3 competitors receiving monetary awards and the overall winner receiving the Richardson Trophy for Musical Excellence, generously gifted by Mr. & Mrs. H.C. Richardson.
Competing will be Bruce Foster (Oboe), Eilidh Welsh (Viola), Peter Thornton (Trombone) and Susannah Mack (Violin) from Dingwall Academy; Emma Beesley (Bassoon) from Tain Royal Academy; Findlay Spence (Cello) from Fortrose Academy; Tara MacRae (Violin) from Plockton High School; Ruby Downie (Voice) from Nairn Academy; Rebecca Amphlett (Violin) and Finn Smith (Trombone) from Grantown Grammar School.
The Young Musicians will have spent some time on the day before the competition rehearsing with the official accompanist, then one piece from each entrants programme will be presented to the guest judges during the afternoon of the competition day and the panel will spend some time with each competitor chatting about their musical aspirations before their complete programme is presented in the public final which begins at 7pm. The final will feature compete programmes from 5 of the entrants as chosen by the judges.
Whilst the judges deliberate their prize-winners decision at the end of the evening, last year’s winner, Helena Rose from Lochaber High School will entertain the audience before receiving her winners quaich as she hands over the crystal trophy to this year’s overall winner.
The Highland Young Guitarist competition is a much younger event in the Highland Music Education calendar. Run in conjunction with the Ullapool Guitar Festival, who give the winner an opportunity to perform at this year’s Festival, the five competitors will demonstrate a range of genres in their programmes.
Competing will be Peter Thornton and Frank Fraser from Dingwall Academy and David Stoddart, Tay Irving and Domas Laurinavicius from Dornoch Academy.
The competition starts in the Culloden Suite of the Drumossie Hotel at 2pm and is open to the public.
“‘These competitions provide ideal opportunities for some of our most talented young musicians to compete at an extremely high level”’ said Norman Bolton, The Highland Council’s Music Development Officer. “Entrants this year cover a wide range of ages and instrumental disciplines, with representatives from all over the region. Whilst these are competitions, the atmosphere is positive and supportive. The courage they have shown to compete at this level is a credit to their dedication.”
The competitions are generously supported by The Highland Council; The Drumossie Hotel and Friends of Highland Young Musicians.