PICTURES: First Highland Young Musicians show in four years is a sell-out success
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Talented young musicians flocked to Inverness in their droves to entertain the sell-out crowds at the first Highland Young Musicians concerts in four years.
Nearly 200 young musicians from across the Highlands headed to the city for the concerts – the first since before the Covid pandemic hit – and they made up for lost time by entertaining the public with their own takes on all manner of musical styles,
Norman Bolton, High Life Highland’s head of music development said: “It is so incredible to have our amazing young musicians back ‘on stage’ and performing again for the first time since 2018.
“Enabling the musical and social developments, creating unique and diverse opportunities and offering access for all our young musicians is always going to be a challenge in a location with the geography of the Highlands.
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"However, ultimately those challenges are rewarded by events like our concert in Inverness, where the support of the audiences make it all worthwhile for the sacrifices that many of the musicians and their families make to be part of Highland Young Musicians.”
The sell-out audiences at both performances were treated to music from the Highland Youth String Orchestra, led by High Life Highland (HLH) music instructor Rachel Farmer.
The Highland Youth Choir, led by another HLH music instructor, Christopher Josey, inspired the audiences with their incredibly tricky choral arrangements of songs by Gary Barlow, P!nk and Maroon 5, keeping it current and impressing so many of those listening and watching.
The first concert of the afternoon was rounded off by a rousing performance of fiddles, pipes and drums from ‘Snas – which had the main auditorium at Inverness High School echoing with the sound of superb traditional music.
The showcase concerts continued into the afternoon with High Life Highland’s Mark Reynolds leading the Highland Youth Wind Band, who performed piece, after piece, after piece of on-point music – creating a sound that almost figuratively blew the roof off Inverness High School and had the audience asking for more when the band’s set was finished.
The Highland Youth Senior Strings had spent some of the last year working with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Masters in Conducting students. The collaboration between the three young conductors, Peggy Wu, Oliver Cope and Michael Riley generated some of the sweetest and most melodic sounds across both concerts.
The finale to the festival was the Highland Youth Big Band led by Mark Bell, High Life Highland’s very own Glenn Miller. The band took to the stage and absolutely wowed the audience with their versions of swing, rhythm and blues and jazz.
James Martin, director of corporate services, a member of High Life Highland’s executive leadership team said: “The future of Highland music is safe in the hands of Norman Bolton and his team of music instructors. The quality of music and song from all performers was simply outstanding, and the fact it is over four years since some of these pupils performed is even more extraordinary.
“The standards of performance by these young musicians from across the Highlands would be well placed on any major venue around the country. The Highlands has much to be proud of in our young musicians.”
