I am absolutely delighted to have attended the wonderful Perform in Perth 100th festival Exhibition today in St Matthew’s Church, Perth. It was a great pleasure also to have been joined by Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Alex Cairncross DL, alongside the coveted Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service which was bestowed upon this wonderful organisation in their centenary, an award that I was truly honoured to nominate them for.

A week-long celebration of local orchestras, choirs and musical groups – many of whom will be giving short concerts on most days – this exhibition celebrates the festival’s early pioneers, including my own family, and their rich musical legacy.

It also brings a dazzling array of guest artists, including Perth High School, Dollar Academy, Morrison’s Academy, Crieff, and members of the Perth Symphony Orchestra, Perth’s Singing Angels – Śpiewających Aniołki, Perth Rock Choir, the Julie Young Singers and Dancers, Grazyna Mylnarczyk’s music students, the Encore Choir, Perth Amateur Operatic Society, Aberfeldy Gaelic Choir, the 4 Cellos, the Steele Vocal Quartet, and the Jambouree Choir.

This is a fantastic symphony of nostalgia, as well as a testament to the enduring power of music to bring the community together, which I wholeheartedly support and am privileged to have been associated with for nearly all of my life.