Carrickfergus Festival 2019 playing host to musical stars of tomorrow

The 89th annual programme of music, speech and drama commenced on Saturday with the brass competitions in the War Memorial Hall.

Writing in the 2019 programme, John McIlwaine, chairperson of Carrickfergus Musical Festival Association, stated: “We have received a lot of entries and look forward to hearing the performances from the wide range of classes, including brass, strings, woodwind, piano, vocal and choral and speech and drama.

“It is very important that performers have an audience to perform for and

therefore I would urge you to attend as many sessions as possible.”

The festival focus turned on Monday to speech and drama with classes continuing until Friday, April 5, in the Town Hall.

The Town Hall is also the venue on Tuesday (afternoon), April 9, for woodwind and is hosting piano, vocal and choral April 9 - 13.

The attention is on strings at the War Memorial Hall on Wednesday, April 10, with primary choir classes at Downshire Church on the afternoon of Thursday, April 11.

The adjudicators for the programme are: Brass, John Houston Woodwind; vocal & piano, Richard Yarr; strings & piano, vocal & choral, Robin Page; speech & drama, Marcia Carr.

Mr McIlwaine added: “The final nights of both sections of the festival will showcase the top award winners — speech and drama will be on Friday 5th April and music on Saturday 13th April. Both will be held in the Town Hall at 7.00pm.

“I wish to extend a very sincere word of thanks to Mid and East Antrim

Borough Council for their continued support for this annual community

event and our thanks go to the sessions of North Street Presbyterian Church and Downshire Church for the use of their superb premises.”