Fine show of fiddling at Garrison

There was a feast of fiddle playing at the Garrison Theatre last night as the young musicians played in a concert and the titles in the open and traditional sections of the Shetland Young Fiddler Competition 2015 were decided.

The honours eventually went to Bryden Priest of Uyeasound, who was named Shetland Young Fiddler, and Jasmin Smith of Bigton, who became the Shetland Traditional Young Fiddler.

Bryden, a fourth-year pupil at Baltasound Junior High School, said he was “absolutely thrilled” to have won. And Jasmin, who is in second year at Sandwick Junior High School, said standing on the stage to play was “just brilliant”.

The two will have their first gigs at Shetland Folk Festival next weekend.

Along with the previously announced winners of other sections of the competition, they were presented with their trophies at the end of the evening – a long evening as the judges had difficulty in deciding the winners thanks to the high standard.

Full report in Friday’s Shetland Times.