Music festival needs sponsors

SHETLAND Music Festival is looking for donations and sponsors to guarantee the popular event’s survival.

This year’s four day festival that brings out the best young musical talent in the isles begins on 19 March, and will produce the junior and senior young musicians of the year, culminating in a gala concert on 22 March.

Creative Scotland are contributing towards the cost of workshops, including one involving members of the National Youth Choir of Scotland.

However funding cut backs over the past few years have forced the festival to increasingly rely on the goodwill of individual organisers to keep it going.

A spokeswoman said: “The festival is very important for all involved in order to make the many hours of commitment and practising in isolation worthwhile and also to celebrate local music making, especially that involving our young people, in all its forms.

“It is also a terrific opportunity for parents and the general public to witness what is being achieved musically within schools on a day-to-day basis.”

Anyone who can offer financial help is asked to contact SIC training and development officer Sarah Henry on 01595 744058 or sarah.henry@shetland.gov.uk.