A GIFTED young pianist from the Czech Republic almost brought the house down at Arbroath’s Webster Theatre on Tuesday evening when he made a special guest appearance on the penultimate night of Ronnie Coburn’s Breath of Scotland summer show.

Pavel Andoga, who is in his early 20s, was invited to join the ranks of traditional Scottish entertainers ‘for one night only’ after he so impressed music shop proprietor and promoter Terry Wood with his ability that he got in touch with Ronnie and urged him to offer him an audition.

The young Czech student has been staying at Arbroath’s Woodley Caravan Park for the summer while he, and many of his fellow temporary migrant workers from Eastern Europe, have been employed on farms and in factories in the area.

What no-one knew, until Pavel was invited to try out an electric piano at Terry’s Abbey Music shop in Kirk Square when he visited on one of his days off, was that the young man was studying music at the world-renowned Prague Conservatory.

Ronnie said, “The young lad went down incredibly well with the audience and he was so thrilled to be given the chance to play—and at the standing ovation he received.

“Although he seems to be a pretty modest and down-to-earth laddie he looked like he was standing ten feet tall when he walked out on to the stage.

“I thought he would be a bit nervous playing in a strange theatre in what for him is a foreign country, but I think he has a fair idea just how good he is and that confidence in his own ability just carried him through.

“He played his own solo set, which drew a fantastic response from the audience, so we just had to get him back on stage again at the end to join in the ceilidh-style finale.

“He told me that he had never experienced anything like that in his life and I am just glad that we have been able to give him the chance to show off his talents right here in Arbroath.

“I hope that he goes back to the Czech Republic with fond memories of his stay in Scotland and I am sure his tutors in Prague will be both surprised and delighted when he tells them what he got up to in Arbroath.

“What he will certainly take home with him is the gratitude and respect of all of us who were privileged to hear him play.”