Ross-shire young musicians make clean sweep of awards at Inverness Music Festival
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Ross-shire school pupils have again made their mark at Inverness Music Festival over the last two weeks.
The young musicians of Tain certainly showed off their hard work and talent at the highly-anticipated competition, with over five youngsters taking at least one award home.
Gairloch High School also showed off its musical brilliance, with their winning band C for Craic, who took home the win for Scottish Traditional Ensembles for secondary pupils.
Congratulating the pupils, Gairloch High School said: "C for Craic, our traditional music group won the Scottish Traditional Ensembles competition at the Inverness Festival! A huge well done to Isaac, Iona, Monica, Sofia and Isla, for their dedication to practice over the years, and a bigger thanks to their High Life Highland instructor Rhona Sutherland for making it all happen!"
Tain Royal Academy (TRA) pupil, Rory Bain gave the competition his best on Saturday, scooping the prestigious Frank Gale Trophy for highest overall mark upper and lower strings.
TRA: "Congratulations to Rory Bain who has won the upper strings intermediate violin solo at the Inverness Music Festival. The trophy is for the highest overall mark upper and lower strings. A super achievement Rory! Well done!"
Musical skill also proved to run in the family for many entrants in the festival this year, including TRA sisters Megan and Eilidh Fisher.
The two dominated the woodwind category, with Megan winning the woodwind open and Eilidh winning woodwind advanced.
Highland Young Musicians said: "Sisters and TRA pupils Megan and Eilidh are delighted at their Inverness Music Festival successes – as is their High Life Highland instructor Lynsey Bolton. Well done!"
Hannah Robertson also took home a win in the fiddle advanced category, and Jack Livings from Craighill Primary won in fiddle intermediate.
Festival organiser, Jason McClurg said: "A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our premier competition! It was such a wonderful showcase of so much talent!
"Also a reminder that our showcase concert will take place next week at 2pm in the Inverness Methodist Church on Huntly Street!
"Thank you once again to the church, all of our entrants, adjudicators, volunteers and committee for such a brilliant two weekends!"
The event kicked off the first weekend on Thursday March 8 at the Inverness Methodist Church. On Friday March 15, the festival returned for their second weekend. To conclude the festival, there will be Highlights Concert finale on March 24 at 2pm.
Although the festival is not ticketed, organisers would be grateful for a donation of £3 per spectator.
For the full list of winners, visit www.invernessmusicfestival.org.
