It was another “wonderful” Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival in Oban as the festival celebrated its 40th anniversary over the weekend.
This year saw the return of the junior fiddle and junior accordion (under-18s) competitions, as well as a new choreography competition, adding to the already popular piping, drumming and dancing events.
The festival, which had its inaugural event in February 1984, sees many top-class musicians and dancers from near and far competing in a range of competitions, receiving feedback from adjudicators and judges about their performance, while participants also enjoy meeting up with friends, old and new.
Young people from the age of three are given the opportunity to perform in front of an audience – singing, dancing, playing a range of instruments - bringing huge amounts of pleasure to all.
The festival hosted a one-day Pre-Premier Highland Dancing competition in March at Atlantis Leisure Centre, followed by the main festival weekend, which ran from Friday to Sunday, starting with the schools’ day, which was held in Oban’s Corran Halls on the Friday.
The schools’ day included a choir section and recorder groups this year, adding to the action song, folk group and ensemble classes.
It was a "wonderfully entertaining morning", organisers said, with more than 250 local children taking part, and more than 270 in the audience.
A spokesperson added: "We were delighted to see so many schools entering this year and to welcome such a huge number of family and friends. Book Bug and Amy Baker put on extra entertainment, while Martin Wilson adjudicated the competitions."
On Saturday there were piping, drumming and chanter competitions in Oban High School alongside junior accordion and junior fiddle competitions in the Royal Hotel.
The spokesperson added: "All the feedback from judges, competitors, parents and visitors at the piping competition was great. Oban High School was an excellent venue for the event, there was a super atmosphere the whole day and a good number of entrants and audience."
The premier prize (Premier/A Grade piobaireachd) and the Cooper Salver was won by Angus John MacColl from Benderloch, son of the world-class local piper Angus MacColl. Alexander Liddell, son of another champion local piper, Stuart Liddell, came third in the under-12 chanter. In the under-15 classes, piper Arran Brown from Campbeltown took home the Billy Kirkham Trophy, awarded to the player with the highest aggregate score in the Piobaireachd, March, Strathspey and Reel, and Jig competitions.
The junior fiddle and accordion competitions returned for the first time since Covid, held in the Royal Hotel on Saturday morning. Two young fiddlers and five accordionists entertained an audience of 20. The adjudicators praised the young musicians who practised very hard for the competitions.
North Connel triumphed here. Hannah Nicholson won the MSR and Slow Air in the 12 and under-16 class, while Finn MacKechnie was victorious in the MSR 12 and under-18 class. Fraser Donaldson from Inverness won the John Allan Memorial Trophy for the highest aggregate score for accordion playing.
The Highland Dancing, "the only team Highland Dancing competition in the world", is "an extremely popular event", organisers said.
Seventeen teams came to compete from Argyll, Ayrshire, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Dumbartonshire and City of Glasgow, Dundee and Angus, Invernesshire, Fife, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Moray, Kincardine and Deeside, North Aberdeen, North of Scotland, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Stirling and Clackmannanshire, and the Western Isles.
One lady even came especially from the Czech Republic to see her granddaughter dance and competitors arrived from as far afield as Alaska.
One parent said: "This festival is amazing; I have been coming to the dancing competitions for many years. It is extremely well organised and welcoming."
Korri McMillan from Campbeltown came first in the Scottish National Challenge in the 12 and under-16 class.
Dance teacher Ella Edgar MBE from Islay, who has been teaching in Islay and Jura for 57 years as star pupil Eva Katie MacIntyre, from Port Ellen, won the confined Argyll and Bute and Western Isles in the 16-and-over class.
Ella said: "I have been coming to the HIMDF for many many years. It is one of the most successful and enjoyable events in the year. It is a very well organised three-day festival which is very well run by the organisers and volunteers."
Organisers gave a "huge" thank you to the funders and businesses who supported them, the "very helpful" host venues, and all the volunteers who helped the committee over the weekend.
They added: "We couldn’t do it without them. We are looking for new committee members to share ideas and to come on board and work with our amazing group of volunteers."
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