WATCH: Anya’s win exceeds expectations at music competition

Sparkling musicianship and plenty of isles flair was on show in Perth at the weekend as top musicians bagged cups and prizes at a music competition.

For Lerwick girl Anya Johnston it was a day to remember, after being crowned the All Scotland Junior Fiddle Champion at the Perth All Scotland Accordion and Fiddle Festival.

She wowed the judges with a march called Salute to Scott Skinner a strathspey entitled Miller o’ Dervil and reel The Cape Breton Visit to Shetland.

“I wasn’t really expecting to come out with anything,” smiled Anya.

“They [the other fiddlers] were really good and a lot of Shetlanders went down and they were really good too.”

Anya, 14, took home the Albie Tedham Memorial Trophy, and the Mickie Ainsworth Memorial Cup. She was up against about 15 fiddlers in the the solo section.

A CD launch is also on the horizon having cut an album with her fellow band mates in Fjanna.

Asked what she loves about playing music, she replied: “I just love the sound of it. It’s just really fun and you get to go out places and you get to meet new people. It’s just really great.”

Anya has been tutored by Margaret Robertson and Eunice Henderson.

Robertson also made the journey south, playing in a new category in the competition for fiddle groups.

She was joined by Kriss Moulder, Wendy Laurenson, Pauleen Wiseman, Inga Scott, Alison Anderson, Alison Laurenson and Dana Stewart.

Talented fiddler Mia Clark finished in second spot behind Anya while Riahnnon Thomason took third in the Junior Slow Air Fiddle Solo competition. The Under 12 Fiddle Solo section was also well represented with Emily Laurenson taking second prize and Yelena Anderson third.

A junior group of fiddlers made up of Anya, Riahnnon, Yelena Anderson, Emily Laurenson, Zoe Semple, Emma Leask and Mia, also took part in the competition.

Meanwhile, Emily Gifford won the Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo title, with Mike Laurenson winning the Junior Pipe Accordion Solo and the Under-16 Junior Traditional Accordion Solo prize.