Caithness Music Festival

[The Music Monster]

As I'm sure a lot of you will know next week is the Caithness Music Festival. The Festival is a part of the British and International Federation of Festivals and looks set to be a fantastic week of varied music and speech. If you are able to, please support this festival. The morning and afternoon sessions are in the Wick Assembly Rooms and the evening classes are at Thurso High School.

Good luck to all those participating!

[Dadie]

Hating /liking already!
My eldest is taking part for the first time....she is dreading it....I have butterflies in my tummy thinking about it..never mind thinking about being in her shoes!
All kids taking part should get some sort of award for being brave enough to stand on the stage!
I remember liking the memorising bit at home and loving that...but hating the "getting up on stage" bit....
gg the emotional turmoil and it isnt me doing it!

[Sun Circle]

I know what you mean, Dadie! It was my son's first year too and he felt the fear and did it anyway! I'm really proud of him, but in hindsight its maybe a bit much to ask of our wee ones...

My friends and I all took part way back in the 70s and 80s and I remember liking/hating it back then. Its the best ever feeling winning, but its pretty miserable when you've given your very best and get knocked-back by the adjudicator. Worse still when you know your performance was not as good as it could be and then you have to listen to the adjudicator tell you what you already know in front of the whole crowd.

Donal McCrisken called it "character building" in the Courier last Wednesday. Hmmmmmmm. I think my wee boy is full of character without having to listen to nonsense from an adjudicator. All in all, over the years, the Caithness Music Festival has taught me to take the opinion of "authority-figures" with a pinch of salt. Its a bit like reading a horoscope - just take the good bits and ignore the rubbish!

[The Music Monster]

I hope your daughter enjoyed it, Dadie, and your son, too, Sun Circle. These festivals are always very tense and I absolutely agree that it is very often more nerve-racking as a spectator to classes with family in!

It's the wish to perform that's the crucial part of the festival and, although everyone wants to win, each of my pupils who managed to take part will get a prize for that. During an adjudication it's sometimes easy to forget the years of experience that Federation adjudicators have under their belts, but they are simply trying to help further participants' performances.

For my part I've once again been impressed by the skill and commitment of the musical and theatrical members of the Caithness community, and would like to thank the Caithness Music Festival for giving performers the chance to showcase their talents, young and old alike.