Inverness Music Festival announces Merkinch Community Centre as new venue for next year's centenary event
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An annual event in Inverness’s cultural calendar will mark its centenary next year at a new venue and with special celebration themes.
Inverness Music Festival, which was run as a virtual event earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, has published its syllabus for 2022.
Although some events will still be online, it hopes to celebrate with a return to some live events at the new venue, Merkinch Community Centre.
There will also be special centenary celebration classes such as the 1920s for themed piano.
In other classes, participants will be invited to think about what was happening in 1922, and perhaps bring a modern twist – children, for example, are asked to either perform a traditional action song or make up a new one for 2022.
Highland dancing is also returning to the festival for the first time since 1976 while a Songs of Praise event is also planned in memory of the last 100 years with church and faith groups invited to join in.
Jean Slater, chairwoman of the festival association, said there were plenty of opportunities for all ages and every part of the community to get involved.
“Some of the events, particularly large groups, will still be online, due to ongoing Covid-19 concerns,” she said.
“However, there are plenty of live opportunities for solo performers and small groups.
“There are events for classical, contemporary and traditional music, speech, debating, public speaking, poetry, drama and dancing.
“There are competitive and non-competitive events, and there will be ‘join in’ sessions for everyone, such as Highland Hustle with Claire Bryce.”
Although last year’s festival was run as a virtual event, it drew in hundreds of people from as far afield as Canada who supported the performers and mini concerts as well as taking part in free workshops and enjoying the artwork and poetry on display.
The organisers said there had been many exceptional performances to view online while the adjudicators had commented on the high standards among the young competitors.
Solo performances and small group glasses will be held at Merkinch Community Centre from February 27-29 and March 4-6. Spectators will be allowed, coronavirus restrictions permitting.
More information is available at Inverness Music Festival.
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