Lara Davis, nine. Picture by Robin Crossley.
PICTURE GALLERY
MUSICA GALA concert predominantly featuring young Island musical and singing talent, rounded off the first Ventnor Music for Fun Festival in two years.
A forerunner to the IW Musical Competition Festival, which kicked off this week, the event was held at St Catherine’s Church, Ventnor, on Thursday and Friday last week.
Some of the choral performances on the festival’s opening day caught the judge’s eye, particularly that of Medina High Community Choir.
Highlights of the festival included the classical guitar class, which featured pupils of Ventnor guitar tutor John Nash, and the piano recital class, which concluded the festival.
Adjudicator Soo Bishop ran an impromptu choral workshop, where participants learnt and sang an African chant, without musical accompaniment.
The festival attracted 45 entries — ten down on the 2008 event.
Festival organiser and piano accompanist, Gillian Langton, said: "With schools having got off to a slow start at the beginning of term, with music lessons starting late because of the bad weather, not as many of them were ready and willing to participate.
"However, the festival featured a very good mix of musical styles and a great mix of ages."
A gala concert, which featured the cream of the festival, was held at the same venue on Sunday.
Former Ventnor mayor Cllr Susan Scoccia presented awards to the winners of classes of two or more entrants.
The gala show included those whose performances were also enjoyed during the festival but had not won a prize.
Mrs Bishop said: "The festival was a positive and inspiring event. It was especially encouraging to have such a variety of ages, abilities and experience in an atmosphere of shared appreciation and joy in the making of music together."
• Results in the Friday, March 5, County Press.
• Pictures from our online gallery www.iwcpgallery.co.uk below.
Click on the image for a larger version.