Last Wednesday, working alongside Kirkcudbright Academy, Kirkcudbright Rotary club held the Finals our first of its type ‘Young Musician’ competition.
The competition was launched by Hannah Gill, the music teacher at the Academy, some two months ago and involved many young people who wished to showcase their musical talent taking part in preliminary competitions to secure a place in the Final.
Hosted by St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, the event attracted a sizable audience of parents, teachers, Rotarian’s and the general public. There were two competitions – the Juniors and the Seniors . In the Junior section [for S1, S2 and S3 students] there were 8 performances involving piano and voice whilst in the Senior Section [S4, S5 and S6 students] there were seven performances involving piano, voice, flute, drums and cornet .
Our invited panel of judges, Robbie Huxtable, music teacher at Castle Douglas High School, Ellen Austin, PE teacher at the Academy and a local chorister together with our own James Dunlop and Paul Campbell, both local choristers, had real difficulty selecting the prize winners of both sections.
Whilst they deliberated on their decisions we were treated to a sparkling performance by the recently organised Staff Choir. Once the judging panel had finally made its decisions, President Colin MacLaine presented trophies, cash prizes and a Rotary Certificate to Laurie Goodaire, the winner of the Junior section, who played a guitar and sang a song she had written herself and he presented the same to Nathan Syed Tollen, the winner of the Senior section, who played ‘Sonata in G’ on the piano. President Colin also presented prizes and Rotary Certificates to the Runners-up and Third places in each section as well as to the performer considered to be Most Promising in each section.
Finally he presented Rotary Certificates of Participation to all others who had taken part in the Finals. What was a most enjoyable evening finished with a bucket collection for the St Cuthbert’s Church Maintenance Fund which raised over £70.
