Traditional musicians at Oban High wow audience at 2020 Celtic Connections
Oban High School’s specialist department of traditional music performed at the annual Celtic Connections festival last weekend for the first time, writes David McPhee.
The musicians were invited by festival director Donald Shaw and received a tremendous response from the sellout concert audience.
The 15-strong group of S3-S6 pupils performed for the first half of a concert at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on Saturday February 1.
They shared the billing with the TMSA Young Trad Tour, featuring winners and runners-up in the BBC Radio Scotland annual Young Traditional Musician of the Year contest, and performed a 40-minute foot-stomping set of tunes and songs.
The Traditional School of Music is funded by the school and is in its eighth year, with pupils gaining places through audition.
Regular tuition is provided by tutors Sileas Sinclair, Finlay Wells, Lorne MacDougall and Joanie Garvin, and in addition to instrumental tuition, the group works together to create arrangements of songs and tunes for their performances.
Head of Traditional School of Music Morven Gage said: 'We couldn’t be more delighted with the performance on Saturday, and the fabulous reception received on the day was very well deserved.
'Performing at Celtic Connections is a great achievement, and the concert was the culmination of many months of hard work and commitment by these young musicians, in addition to their school studies. They’re a tremendous credit to their school and to Oban.'
Head teacher Peter Bain said: 'I’m incredibly proud of all our youngsters and extremely grateful to our tutors for their dedication, ensuring we nurture such wonderful talent.'