Adjudicator says children learn ‘so many life skills’ at Caithness Music Festival
Children taking part in the Caithness Music Festival are learning “so many life skills”, according to one of the adjudicators.
The week-long festival got under way at the Assembly Rooms in Wick on Monday with entries slightly up on last year. All but two of the Caithness primaries are taking part, along with north Sutherland pupils from Melvich, Bettyhill and Tongue.
Speech and drama adjudicator Judey Struth, from Monifieth, said: “The standard is really high. The popular songs and dramatised songs have just been fantastic entertainment.
“So much work has gone into them and it’s so great that the teachers and the kids are willing to give their time.
“It’s so good for them. It teaches them confidence, it teaches them so many life skills.
“It’s not just going up and saying a wee poem. They’re learning to talk to an audience, they’re learning to control their nerves, they’re learning how they react under pressure, they’re learning how to present themselves.
“It’s just so important in the world today – everything is about presentation.”
Festival secretary Audrey MacKinnon reported that entries were around 400 and she pointed out that there will be two nights of adult performances, on Tuesday and Friday.
“We have had extra adult entries, which is really good,” Mrs MacKinnon said. “It’s nice to get them in.
“We’ve also got the Caithness Wind Band and Pentland Brass Band and some choirs.”
Mrs MacKinnon is now in her 38th year as festival secretary. She added: “I’m still enjoying it.”
Caithness Music Festival results:
Monday – Popular song, P6-P7: 1 Newton Park P6; 2eq Newton Park P7, Noss P6/7.
Choral speaking, rural schools: 1 Castletown P7; 2 Thrumster P5-7.
Choral speaking, town schools: 1 Noss P6/7; 2 Noss P6R.
Strings, preliminary: 1 Peter Hill (violin), Pennyland; 2 Mia Martin (violin), Tongue; 3 Olivia Findlay (violin), Tongue.
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Strings, grade 2: 1 Abiela Williamson (violin); 2 Emily Mackay (violin), Farr High; 3 Blayr Howden (cello), Wick High.
Strings, grade 3: Emma Sutherland (violin), Thurso High; 2 Jolee Statham (violin), Wick High.
Strings, grade 1: 1 Orlah Hourston (violin), Wick High; 2 Iona Bain (violin), Dunbeath; 3eq Molly MacAuslan (violin), Dunbeath, Abby MacDonald (violin), Halkirk, and Skye Mackenzie (violin), Pennyland.
Strings, grade 7 and above: 1 Eliana Williamson; 2 Leah Bullivant; 3 Olivia Singh, Thurso High.
Strings, grade 6: 1 Liam Bruce (violin), Wick High.
Strings, grade 5: 1 Lewis Lee (violin), Thurso High; 2 Hannah McColm, Halkirk; 3 Izzy Alexander (violin), Wick High.
Poem, girls P5: 1 Torran Bain, Dunbeath; 2 Lauren Tunn, Reay; 3 Tessa Simpson, Halkirk.
Poem, boys P5: 1 Sammie Hall, Dunbeath; 2 Robbie Oag, Newton Park.
Poem, girls P7: 1 Iona Bain, Dunbeath; 2 Molly MacAuslan, Dunbeath; 3eq Olivia Oag, Newton park, and Ella Simpson, Halkirk.
Poem, boys P7: 1 Ollie Hall, Dunbeath; 2 Alex Vines, Mount Pleasant.
Poem, girls S1-2: 1 Martha Potts, Thurso High School.
Poem, girls P6: 1 Lois Gray, Castletown; 2 Orla Manson, Noss.
Poem, boys P6: 1 Archie Tait, Noss; 2 Matthew Anderson, Noss.
Tuesday morning – Dramatised song, P3/4 and under, schools with 1-3 teachers: 1 Reay P1-4; 2 Watten P1-3.
Dramatised song, P4 and over, schools with 1-3 teachers: 1 Bower (whole school); 2 Reay P5-7.
Storytelling, S1-6: Martha Potts, Thurso High.
Dramatised song, P3/4 and under, schools with four or more teachers: 1 Pennyland P2-3; 2 Newton Park P2.
Vocal solo, girls S1-2: 1 Martha Potts, Thurso High; 2 Heather Ford, Thurso High; 3 Victoria Fryett, Thurso High.
Vocal solo, girls P5: 1 Lila Murray, Kara Gray Vocal Teaching.
Vocal solo, girls S3-6: 1 Faith Charlton, Thurso; 2 Ava-Jay Campbell, Thurso High; 3eq Iona Campbell, Wick High, and Ava Curlis, Thurso High.
Vocal solo, boys S3-6: 1 Charlie Denley Spencer, Thurso High; 2 Charles Fryett, Thurso High; 3 Rufus Braidwood, Thurso High.
Scots song, S3-6: 1 Iona Campbell, Wick High.
Duet, S3-6: 1 Charlie Denley Spencer and Kirsty Bartlett, Thurso High; 2 Lilly Dow and Jasmine Perry-Igo, Wick High.
Trophies – Eann Nicolson Shield: Newton Park P6. Miss Mary Webster Shield: Castletown P7. Caithness Glass Company Bowl: Noss P6/7. Jack Duncan Memorial Shield: Abiela Williamson.
Macdonald Shield: Orlah Hourston. Mentiplay Shield: Lewis Lee. Fiona Shearer Shield: Eliana Williamson. Stroma Cup: Torran Bain.
Edgar Cup: Ollie Hall. Dorothy Cup: Martha Potts. Thurso and District Round Table Shield: Torran Bain and Ollie Hall (joint winners). Wick Town Improvements Shield: Lois Gray.
Mark Smith Shield: Archie Tait. Nordic Shield: Reay P1-4. Mrs Mackenzie Cup: Bower. Robin Mellor Cup: Martha Potts.
Mount Pleasant Shield: Pennyland P2/3. Henry Rosie Memorial Shield: Martha Potts. Philip Sinclair Cup: Charlie Denley Spencer. Thurso Choral Society Shield: Iona Campbell.
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