Cream of instrumental and vocal talents win awards

The festival was held over four days and was well attended each day by Larne residents, as well as family and friends of the competitors.

This was another most successful Festival attended by some 1,000 people over the four days and with the introduction of a traditional music section on Saturday.

To begin, the strings, brass and woodwind instrumental classes were held with Robin Hewitt as the adjudicator, followed next day by pianoforte classes with Billy Cairns,OBE the adjudicator.

Primary and secondary school choirs and soloists competed in choral classes adjudicated bye Diane Creighton.

Traditional music, adjudicated by Ian Dinsmore, had a reasonable number of entries for the first year.

The continued success of this festival, now in its fifteenth year since it was revived in 1999, was commented on by all the adjudicators, who agreed that the general standard of entries was high in each of the six classes. Many visitors and teachers commented on the friendly atmosphere and the helpful attitude of the festival committee.

The kind sponsors for the festival were Larne Borough Council and some anonymous donors, without whose financial assistance the event could not function. New trophies, cash donations and prizes came from AA Music, Charles Hurst, Belfast Mulholland’s, Larne and Billy Andy’s, Larne, and continued cash donations from Larne Rotary Club and First Trust Bank.

Results were as follows:

Instrumental:

Violin/viola 9 yrs andunder: Aideen McHugh.

12 yrs & under: Holly McKinney. Winner of Plata Cup.

15 yrs. & under: Thomas McKenna Winner of Kerr Cup.

18 yrs. & under: Rachel Lutton. Winner of the Wasson Memorial Shield and AA trophy and a festival award of £25 for the best overall string player.

String duo, trio or quartet 11 years & under: Stewart Killough & Kaden Patterson. Winners of Festival Cup.

18 years & under: Thomas & Eamon McKenna. Winners of Preece Trophy.

Instrumental Groups 11 years & under: Linn P.S. Brass Band. Winners of Dr. Thomas Brown Trophy.

Brass 11 yrs. & under: Michael Brodison. Winner of Festival Cup.

15 yrs. & under: Lucy McCluskey.

18 yrs. & under: Sam Brodison. Winner of Ian Beattie trophy for the best overall brass player and a festival award of £25

Woodwind 11 yrs. & under: Emily Arbuthnot.

15 yrs. & under: John Brodison Winner of the Larne Rotary Club (Rita McLoughlin) Trophy and a festival award of £25 for the best overall woodwind player.

Pianoforte:

Beginners - under one year’s tuition: Monica Cameron.

Solo – initial/prep prade: Sarah Campbell.

Grade 1: Adam Smith. Winner of the Richard Barnes Junior Cup.

Grade 2: Olivia Boyd. Winner of the Milliken Cup.

Repertoire – 11 yrs. & under: Emily Campbell. Winner of the Larne Times Awardfor the most promising performance.

Solo - Grade 3: Scott Reid. Winner of the Marie Barnes Cup.

Grade 4: Kaden Patterson. Winner of the Festival Cup.

Grade 5: Lucy McCluskey. Winner of the Megan Cooper Cup.

Grade 6: Samuel Holst. Winner of the Richard Barnes Cup.

Grade 7: Mark Henry Winner of the Festival Cup.

Repertoire – 15 yrs & under: Conn Thornton. Winner of the Robert Farren Trophy and a festival award of £25 to the best overall pianist and festival medal.

Choral:

Primary School Choirs (enrolment 100 pupils and under): Glynn PS. Winners of the Larne Concert Choir Cup.

Key Stage 1: Fairview P.S. Junior Choir. Winners of the Murray Cup.

Key Stage 2: Fairview Primary School. Winners of the Bronze Award.

Special choirs: Roddensvale School. Winners of the Ethel McConkey Cup.

Primary Schools Hymn Singing: Straid PS. Winners of the McCallion Cup.

The First Trust Bank Trophy and award of £50 was shared between Roddensvale School choir and Fairview Primary choir.

Boys and Girls Solo -8 years and under: Dakota Crawford.

11 years and under: Aaliyah Feeney.

Duet Singing -11 years and under: Hannah McCloskey & Daniel Hill.

Special Performance: Larne Adult Centre Makaton Choir.

Secondary/Grammar School Choirs: 15 years & under: Larne Grammar School. Winners of the Mulholland Cup.

18 years & under- Carrickfergus College. Winners of the Countess of Antrim Cup.

Special School Choirs: 19 years & under: Larne Adult Centre. Winners of a Festival Cup.

Boys and Girls Solo: 15 years & under: Megan McIlwaine. Winner of the Johnston Cup.

Songs from the Shows: 15 years & under: Megan McIlwaine. Winner of the Songs from the Shows Cup.

Boys and Girls Solo: 18 years & under: Erin Warke. Winner of the Bob Gilpin Cup.

Duet Singing: 18 years & under: Erin Warke & Katie Hill. Winners of the Festival Cup.

Songs from the Shows: 18 years & under: Elmer Stewart and Erin Warke. Winners of the Songs from the Shows Cup.

Traditional

Fiddle, 11 yrs. & under: Aoife Mullan.

Harp, 11 yrs. & under: Alexandria McAtackney. Winner of the Billy Andy’s Challenge Cup and a festival award of £25 for the highest mark in traditional classes and festival medal.

Traditional Fiddle 15 yrs. & under: Daisie Conway.

Tin Whistle 15 yrs. & under: Becca McIlroy.

Highland pipes 15 yrs. & under: Jodie Mills.

Traditional Group 15 yrs. & under: Thomas & Eamon McKenna. Winners of Billy Andy’s Perpetual Cup for the entrants with most potential in traditional classes.

Traditional Fiddle 18 yrs. & under: Laura O’Boyle.

Solo Flute 18 yrs. & under: Rachael O’Boyle.

Harp 18 yrs. & under: Shannon Taylor.

Traditional Group 18 yrs. & under: Rachael & Laura O’Boyle.

The AGM of the Larne Music Festival will be held in September, at a date to be announced. The committee would welcome new members to actively help, especially with manning the four days of the festival, which is held each year in early May. Please watch the Larne Times or visit the festival web site at www.larnemusicfestival.com for further information.