Features / Primary pupils deliver thrilling week of music
ONE OF the “real gems” of the islands’ musical calendar celebrated its 70th anniversary this week with a four-day showcase of school pupils’ considerable instrumental talents.
Some 1,430 young people and their teachers and instructors took part in the annual Schools Music Festival as parents piled into Mareel to enjoy the pupils’ playing.
Adjudicators watched and listened to more than 200 entries in 34 different classes before deciding on Wednesday night that 16-year-old Anderson High School pupil Sophie Wishart’s talents on the piano and cello merited the Senior Young Musician of the Year award.
Eleven year old accordionist Mike Laureson, from Dunrossness Primary School, went home with the honour of Junior Young Musician of the Year.
The festival culminated with a sell out gala concert at Mareel on Thursday, with hundreds of viewers tuning in to a live online broadcast.
Samantha Wishart of the festival’s working group said she was delighted with how smoothly the event had run.
She said adjudicator Andrew Adamson had been “thrilled with the standard of what he saw, and had to keep reminding himself that they were only primary age children”.
“It’s gone down so well with everybody we’ve spoken to,” Wishart said. “There were an enormous amount of children involved and the quality they produced over such a wide range of genres was amazing.”
Last year’s festival – with the focus on secondary pupils – was staged at Mareel, but this was the first time the North Ness arts complex had hosted the primary section.
Wishart said it had served as a “fantastic focal point” for the four-day festival.
“Setting the music aside, it’s such a fantastic experience for these children to perform on stage, and all the other skills they’re developing.”
She continued: “There was a real buzz going on, and we were very, very well supported with the audiences and members of the public coming in. The whole profile of the festival was just so much higher than what we’ve seen before.”
Wednesday morning was the busiest part of the week, with over 400 children taking part in the first class of the day.
That meant for a considerable challenge making sure all the kids were in the right place, but she said their behavior had been impeccable.
“It took a lot of organisation to get them held in places, in the green room and then on stage. It seems to have worked out really well. It’s hard for them to wait around, but their behavior was absolutely fantastic – they were really good.”
Shetland Arts music development officer Bryan Peterson had warm words of tribute to the young musicians, teachers and organisers.
“The Schools Music Festival is a real gem in the Shetland music calendar,” he said. “It’s heartwarming to see the results of all the young musicians’ efforts and the encouraging audiences who come to support them.
“I was genuinely moved to see all the primary bairns in Mareel this year. Hundreds of peerie toots from all over Shetland gleefully scampering around and excited to get the chance to perform on the stage.
“For me, that’s what Mareel is all about – a facility for folk to enjoy and make their own.”
Peterson added: “The festival stands as testament to the drive and dedication of the music teachers, and all the staff who support them, who tirelessly go beyond the call of duty to enrich the lives of their pupils. They are a team Shetland should be proud of.”
Parent Donald Anderson said it had been “great” to see his 10 year old daughter taking part in the festival and getting the chance to perform on the auditorium’s Steinway grand piano.
“She was both excited and nervous about her performances,” he said, “and thoroughly enjoyed her experience. I was very proud of what she achieved.”
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