Cromarty gig for Gordonstoun pupils
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A BLACK Isle teenager will put her musical talents to good use this weekend when she stages a concert to help fund a school tour to South Africa.
Tamzene Allison (15), from Cromarty, a pupil at Gordonstoun School near Elgin, is among the group of 13 to 18 year olds who will be visiting the Cape Town region to perform next month.
She has enlisted the help of friends, including fellow pupil Douglas Miller, for a concert at Cromarty Stables on Saturday night to raise funds for the trip.
The Gordonstoun pupils, who include the school piping and dance groups, will be performing a selection of music on their tour, including music from Scotland, but have also been learning the South African anthem "Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (Lord Bless Africa)" for the occasion.
Tamzene plays violin in the orchestra and is a member of the school choir, but she is also an up and coming singer-songwriter who recently achieved a regional final place in the Next Brit Thing competition for new talent, which is backed by the music industry, the BRIT awards and the Government.
"We are taking about 10 to 15 pieces to South Africa with us and one of them is actually one of my songs, ‘If Only You Knew’," Tamzene said.
"The head of music at the school is developing it for the orchestra. It’s a duet and Doug will be singing it with me in South Africa so he’s coming to Cromarty to sing it with me on Saturday."
Also joining her for the concert will be Arran Alderson, who composes his own pieces for the piano, and Amelia Donald, who also writes and performs her own songs.
"We are doing a few covers and then we’re going to be doing a few of my own songs as well, just to show that we can," Tamzene added.
"I’ve been writing songs for about two-and-a-half years. It’s definitely what I want to do as a career. It’s the only thing that really interests me, but at the moment I’m just enjoying school and trying to develop my voice and songwriting skills, so I haven’t really made a lot of plans for the immediate future."
• Tamzene Allison and friends will be performing at The Stables, Cromarty, from 7pm tomorrow. Entry is by donation on the door (suggested £5) and tea, coffee and cakes will be served during the interval. There will also be a raffle and anyone attending is welcome to bring their own bottle.
