Schools’ Music Festival: Impressive variety of genres

Attention at the Schools’ Music Festival today turned towards the larger classroom groups, choirs and bands.

Entrants have included music from a wide variety of genres and instruments from around the world, as well as closer to home.

The number of participants peaked this morning with more than 400 primary aged children taking part in the Primary School Choirs class. The adjudicator commented on the enthusiasm of all the children who were taking part.

He awarded “gold plus” to two of the choirs, the Cunningsburgh School choir and the Bells Brae Boys’ choir, which consisted of nearly 70 pupils. Mr Adamson was particularly delighted with the enthusiasm of the boys and was thrilled to see so many of them singing in the choir.

In the primary school classroom groups, the adjudicator commented on the huge variety of music and instruments played and how well the pieces had been put together. He particularly enjoyed the Sound School Steel Band which was a “delightful sound”.

The afternoon saw a huge variety of performances.

Scallywags, a small group from Scalloway Primary School impressed and the Aith Wind Band gave a superb performance, for which they were awarded a gold plus.

The adjudicator has now decided on most of the line up for the Gala Concert on Thursday evening, which will include performances from: Bells Brae 7N Classroom Group, Sound School Steel Band, Bell’s Brae Boys’ Choir, Mid Yell Minis Choir, Burravoe Primary School Classroom Group, Dunrossness Fiddle and Accordion Club, Cunningsburgh P6/7 Drummers and Aith Junior High School Wind Band.

Tonight sees the more competitive side of the festival with the Young Musician of the Year Competition for both the Junior and Senior titles.

Samantha Wishart