One of the first winners in the 88th Arbroath and District music festival has spoken about his pride after victory in two categories on the opening morning of the competition.
Drummer Finlay Simpson took first prize in elementary snare drum and elementary timpani as the week-long competition got under way in the town’s Webster Memorial Theatre.
The 12-year-old said: “I put in quite a lot of practice. I just like playing the drums really – they’re fun.
Proud Dad Craig Simpson, from Dundee, said both Finlay and sister Gracie, who is in primary 5, had got a lot out of competing on the opening morning.
“Music is a great part of their lives so it’s a great experience to prepare for something like this with a little bit of pressure and to help them deal with nerves.
“It is a fantastic experience for them and the organisers do such a great job here.”
The young percussionist scored 90 out of 100 in elementary snare drum – qualifying him for the competition’s top prize, the blue riband.
Violin Solo Grade 5+ winner Elanor Leydecker scored 92, and second place Sasha Clement scored 90 in their category, putting both into contention also.
Adjudicator Glynn Forrest, a Glasgow-based percussionist, said he had been impressed by what he had seen and heard so far.
“I have been doing the festival for eight or nine years and the standard is very high. The entrants in the elementary category seem to be getting younger and younger each year.”
The week-long competitive music festival is open to pre-school, primary, secondary school and adult choirs, solo singing, percussion, brass, piano, woodwind, guitars and verse.
For the first time the festival also includes a category for electric guitar.
Monday results.
Elementary Snare Drum
1st Finlay Simpson 90
2nd Harley Douglas 89
3rd Libby May 88
Elementary Timpani
1st Finlay Simpson 89
2nd Libby May 87
3rd Franki Durston 84
3rd Summer Hainsworth 84
Elementary Tuned Percussion
1st Libby May 87 1st
2nd Franki Durston 86
3rd Summer Hainsworth 83
Violin Solo Grade 1-2
1st Antoine Hoffet 87
2nd Isla Cavill 86
2nd Jasmine Higgins 86
2nd Abigail Owen 86
Violin Solo Grade 3-4
1st Isla Fairburn 86
2nd Sarah Campbell 85
2nd Grace Clark 85
Viola Solo Grade 1-2
1st Eva Richardson 86
Viola Solo Grade 3-4
1st Tia Douglas 85
Violin Solo Grade 5+
1st Elanor Leydecker 92
2nd Sasha Clement 90
3rd Ailsa Miller 89
