Lochaber Music Festival hits high notes
The 44th Lochaber Music Festival, which got under way last Friday with a week-long packed programme of sessions and competitions, will draw to a close this evening (Thursday) with the final concert featuring a varied selection of some of the wonderful performances from the week. Among the competitors were the Fullford brothers – Ronnie, Freddy and Ben – who are pictured getting ready to do musical battle earlier in the week.
THE 44TH Lochaber Music Festival will end with a grand finale in Fort William tonight after the event got off to a rousing start at the weekend with chanter, piping, fiddle, clarsach and accordion classes taking place in the town’s high school, writes Mark Entwistle.
The classes were ably adjudicated by DJ MacIntyre from Inverness and Gillian Frame, an accomplished traditional musician from Glasgow.
High scoring entrants from different classes are selected to compete in the Premier Scots Traditional Award and this year, Laura Robertson (bagpipes), Cameron MacIsaac (accordion) and Orla Soe-Paing (clarsach) were chosen.
Cameron was eventually picked as the award winner and he will play in the final concert at Lochaber High School tonight (Thursday).
Festival chairwoman Lilian Macdonald said: ‘This week, so far, there has been singing, strings, woodwind, piano and verse speaking.
‘The Tuesday evening event at Lochaber High School featured the Young Musician of the Year and premier instrumental and vocal competitions.
‘The final classes in brass music-making, choral and action drama took place on Wednesday morning.
‘Following this, the celebration concert will be held at 7pm this evening (Thursday). All are welcome.’
There will be a full round-up and results report plus more photographs in next week’s edition of the Lochaber Times.