Fortrose pupil is named Young Musician of the Year
Cellist Findlay Spence, aged 14 and a pupil at Fortrose Academy is the Highland Young Musician of the Year after winning the 2012 competition which was held last night (Sunday 27 May) at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness.
After a day of intensive rehearsal and performance, five of the ten entrants for Sunday’s Highland Young Musician of the Year took part in the public final. The second prize went to violinist Rebecca Amphlett from Grantown Grammar School and Bruce Foster, an oboe player from Dingwall Academy came third.
At the same event the Highland Young Guitarist award was announced. Taking top prize for the under 15 category was David Stoddart from Dornoch Academy and the 15-17 top prize went to Peter Thornton from Dingwall Academy. They were presented with new guitars donated by Kenny's Music, Glasgow and will both be invited to take part in the 2012 Ullapool Guitar Festival.
In their closing remarks, the judges commented on how impressed they had been at the high standard of musicianship shown by all the participants throughout the day.
The Highland Council’s Music Development Officer, Norman Bolton said: “The standard of performance during the competition was extremely high and the judges had a genuinely difficult time in making their decisions. Music making in all its forms continues to go from strength to strength in Highland schools which is a great credit to staff and pupils alike.”