A celebration of emerging musical talent took centre stage on Tuesday 17 March, as young string players gathered for the violin beginner, Level 1 and Level 2 classes at the local music festival.
The morning opened with the beginners’ class, where pupils from across the region demonstrated impressive early progress on their instruments. Performances included lively and imaginative pieces such as The Boat to Inverie and Gypsy Fiddle by Edward Huws Jones, alongside characterful works like Trolls, Orcs and Goblins and Witches’ Cauldron.
Participants including Jessica Alexander (Milnathort Primary), Lennox Douglas (Kinross Primary), Orla McHardy, and Anita Casonato performed with confidence and enthusiasm, setting a high standard for the day.
The class continued with a further group of young musicians, featuring a mix of violin and viola performances from pupils of Kinross and Oakbank primary schools. Highlights included Under the Coconut Tree and Morning Sunshine Afternoon Rain, as well as well-loved pieces such as Pachelbel’s Canon. A harp performance by Anni Valluri (Goodlyburn Primary) added variety and charm to the session.
The Level 1 violin class saw a large and competitive field, with players performing set works including Gypsy Fiddle and The Boat to Inverie.
Young musicians such as Nadia Rosinska, Lily Cooper, Safa Sameer, and Martha Buchanan delivered confident and musical performances. The programme also showcased a range of styles, from the playful Beethoven Boogie to the lyrical Floating By and traditional favourites like Spring Song.
The class demonstrated not only technical development but also growing musical expression, with all participants earning warm appreciation from the audience.
The standard rose further in the Level 2 class, where performers tackled more demanding repertoire including Climb Ev’ry Mountain and Hallelujah.
Standout performances came from Jessica Dean, Roksana Goral, Edda Vanini, Sophie Cameron Smith, and Aria Douglas, each bringing sensitivity and poise to their interpretations.
A particularly heartening moment came with the participation of festival volunteer Jenny Rutherford, who has been teaching herself the violin. Showing great determination and courage, she stepped onto the stage to perform Da Rod to Moreview by Tom Anderson. Her contribution was warmly received and served as an inspiring reminder that music-making is for all ages and stages.
A Celebration of Musical Beginnings
Across all three classes, the festival highlighted the importance of nurturing young talent while fostering confidence and enjoyment in performance. From first notes to more advanced playing, every participant contributed to a memorable and uplifting session.
Well done to all performers for their hard work and commitment—and to those, like Jenny Rutherford, who remind us that it is never too late to take part and share in the joy of music.
Adjudicator’s remarks:
Positive Points
- “What a lovely start to the day”
- All performers were:
- Smiling and engaged
- Clearly enjoying performing
- Notably:
- Every performer was playing their piece for the first time
- This was described as “fantastic”
Musical Strengths
- Strong overall tuning and ensemble awareness
- A pleasant, cohesive sound across the group
- Good sense of musical shape and phrasing
Development Points
The adjudicator’s improvement comments (given in teaching moments) apply to multiple performers:
- Left-hand technique
- More control needed for tone production
- Focus on hand position and pressure
- Sound quality
- Aim for a rounder, fuller tone
- Avoid thin or pressed sound
- Confidence in delivery
- Maintain the strong start and play with assurance throughout