Shetland-Music.com

This years Shetland Schools Music Festival will take place between 9 and 13th of March. The programme features 5 days of performances and classes in Lerwick's Town Hall, closing with a concert in the Clickimin Centre on Friday 13th.

Over 260 entries have been received from secondary and primary seven pupils, covering 40 different musical classes, including vocals, piano, brass, woodwind, strings and accordion.

There will be choirs, orchestras, ensembles and traditional music groups and a workshop programme for primary six and seven children that will take place throughout the isles.

One of Britain's leading music teachers, Eric Tebbett, will be making a return visit to the festival as professional adjudicator, taking a break from his world travels as a performer, conductor and examiner.

Classes and performances will run all day into the evening and on Thursday 12th March the Town Hall will host to the celebrated junior and senior young musicians of the year competition, while on Friday the gala concert at Clickimin will feature the winners of these competitions together with many of the other outstanding and varied acts to have appeared during the week.

The week's events are free except for the gala concert, with tickets costing £5 and £3 available from Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre (01595 745 555). School pupils do not have to pay.

The primary workshops will feature 'Songs from Around the World', delivered by the Music Workshop Company, from Stevenage; African drumming with Joy Duncan from Scalloway; and samba led by Shetland resident Angus Dow.

Davie Gardner of Atlantic Edge Music Services who is co-ordinating the festival said he and the Shetland schools service were "delighted" with the quantity and quality of partici­pants, and equally with the sheer enthusiasm for the festival from staff and pupils alike.

Mr Gardner said: "The huge entry for this year's festival clearly high­lights the massive amount, quality and diversity of music-related work and studies currently ongoing throughout Shetland's education system, both public and private.

"The festival will hopefully demonstrate and raise the profile of this within the local community, act as an important celebration and recognition of our young musician's achievements, and create exciting and developmental performance related opportunities for them throughout the week."

Ticket info: Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre - 01595 745 555