Curtain up on music festival
Piping makes a welcome return to popular event
THE STAGE is set for Mid Argyll Music Festival.
THE SKIRL of the pipes will herald the start of a feast of music over the coming week.
The 38th Mid Argyll Music Festival gets under way tomorrow, Saturday March 18, when pipers and chanter players make a welcome return after some years’ absence from the event. The piping takes place in Ardrishaig North Hall from 10am to 12.30pm.
Monday March 20 will see the popular and highly entertaining children’s speech/ verse speaking competitions in Ardrishaig Public Hall.
Another feast of daytime entertainment is promised on Wednesday in Ardrishaig Hall, when the audience will be treated to solo, duet and ensemble performances from many enthusiastic primary school singers. On Wednesday evening one of the highlights of the festival will be the Songs from the Shows evening, showcasing the high standard of rich vocal talent both locally and from further afield.
Thursday daytime will celebrate secondary school vocal solos and duets, as well as promising pianists. These performances will be followed in the evening by Brownies, adult Scots vocal solos and duets, and a popular song class promising a very varied programme.
On Friday daytime, the festival welcomes performers of Gaelic song, for which Mid Argyll has a proud reputation. A healthy number of primary brass players, along with recorder, woodwind and string performers will have the rafters ringing in both Ardrishaig halls all day.
Then, in the evening, another increasingly popular event will be the adult choirs, ensembles and vocal solos in the Public Hall.
The final day of performances will take place in Lochgilphead Joint Campus from 9.30am, when audiences will be treated to a series of performances from infant, junior, Gaelic and intermediate choirs as well as secondary school and family instrumental classes. To finish off, as always, there will be the much-anticipated and hugely popular brass bands competition, during which the audience will learn who will take home the most prestigious trophies of the festival, including the SCWS trophy for the adjudicators’ choice of the most promising performer of the festival.
Refreshments and souvenirs will be available during the day from Monday onwards, and programmes may be purchased from Ardrishaig Public Hall any day during the festival.
Fiona MacDonald, of the festival committee, said: ‘The committee wishes everyone a warm welcome, and we invite people to join us during the day or in the evening, where you will find a high standard of entertainment and great value for money.’