THE 112th Tynedale Music Festival ended with a bang on Saturday with what many agreed was the best concert of festival highlights in years.

Budding singers and instrumentalists took to the stage in Hexham’s Queen’s Hall to demonstrate the standards achieved during the previous fortnight and many a round of competitive classes.

Chairman Douglas Knott said: “A lot of people came to me afterwards with the feedback that it was the best concert in years.”

Two special awards were presented during the evening. One of them went to Durham piano teacher Barry Maleham, a long-time supporter of the festival who brings around 20 pupils a year to take part.

And the other was awarded to 87-year-old folk singer Charles Colborn. “Every year, he and his wife make the trip from Sunderland on public transport,” said Douglas. “The adjudicator was really taken with his performance in the folk class (solo) and he was given a distinction.”

There were trophies, too, for the young people judged to be the cream of the crop.

Instrumental duo Tabby Seago and Rosie Mace won the Hexham Rotary Cup for the best junior group performance of the festival.

Brass player Sebastian Kilsby won the Mrs J.E. Rylance Memorial Cup for the most entertaining solo performance in the 16 years and under class.

Pianist Alexandra McMullen took the Tynedale Arts Council Cup for the most outstanding solo musical performance in a junior class.

Alice Bartley was presented with the European Piano Teachers’ Association (UK) Cup for the most promising young pianist, Kieran Taylor was presented with the President’s Cup for the most promising brass player and Amelia Lewis went home with the Mary Armstrong Memorial Rose Bowl for the most promising junior singer.

In a year in which there had been a handful of newcomers to the event – schools that had brought along dozens of pupils between them – and entry numbers had been respectable generally, Douglas had been particularly pleased with enthusiasm they had demonstrated.

“The main thing I noticed was that the teachers were very keen for them to watch the other performers in action, too,” he said.

“So rather than rush off after their own classes, this year they stayed on throughout the morning to see the standards achieved by other schools. On Friday morning, both the stalls and the balcony above were full as the choirs watched each other sing and that was immensely pleasing.”

The adjudicator this year was Michael Hancock, who enjoys a varied life as a singer, pianist, conductor, teacher and examiner. He has served on the staff at the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music, and until recently he was the vocal coach for Carlisle Cathedral Choir.

helen.compson@hexham-courant.co.uk


Composition (13 years & under): Andrew Langford. Novice brass: 1, Sebastion Kilsby, 2, George Rose, Thomas Millmore, Harry Rose. Brass solo (11 years & under): 1, Lydia Kind, 2, Kate Edwards. Brass solo (13 years & under): 1, Caitlin Millmore. Brass solo (16 years & under): 1, Kieran Taylor, 2, Jack Laws, Jessica Simpson. Brass solo open: 1, Kieran Taylor. Brass duo (11 years & under): 1, Harry and George Rose. Brass duo (13 years & under): 1, Caitlin Millmore and Joshua Kotze; 2, Caitlin and Thomas Millmore. Brass duo (16 years & under): 1, Jessica Simpson and Kieran Taylor. Brass duo open: 1, Jessica Simpson and Kieran Taylor.

Small group (18 years & under): 1, Craghead Training Band. Open large group or band: 1, Whittonstall Community Band. Hymn singing (rural schools, 9 years & under): 1, Humshaugh First School; 2, Wark Church of England First School; 3, Newbrough Primary School. Choral (rural schools, 9 years & under): 1, Humshaugh First School; 2, Wark Church of England First School; 3, Newbrough Primary School. Hymn singing (9 years & under): 1, Sele Singers. Choral (9 years & under): 1, Sele Singers. Choral (11 years & under): 1, Shaftoe Primary School Choir. Choral (13 years & under): 1, St.Joseph’s Middle School Choir. Mixed voice choirs: 1, Jubilate.

Folk class (solo): 1, Charles Colborn. Folk class (group): 1, 4th Generation.

Instrumental duo or ensemble (11 years & under): 1, St Joseph’s Middle School Junior Orchestra. Instrumental duo or ensemble (13 years & under): 1, St.Joseph’s Middle School senior orchestra; 2, St. Joseph’s Middle School string group; 3, St Joseph’s Middle School drum group. Instrumental duo or ensemble (16 years & under): 1, Tabbie Seago and Rosie Mace.

Novice piano: 1, Joel Asagba; 2, Jessica Smyth; 3, Sarah Leaver. Piano solo (9 years & under): 1, Melody Fiang; 2, Ruixan Li, Hanna Zheng, Amy Zheng. Piano solo (11 years & under): 1, Andrew Langford; 2, Joanna Park. Piano solo (13 years & under): 1, Alice Bartley; 2, Anna Sewell; 3, Ella Womack. Piano solo (16 years & under): 1, Ceara Sutton-Jones; 2, Jenny Park, Rebecca Lee. Piano solo (18 years & under): 1, Alexandra McMullen. Piano solo (J. S. Bach open class): 1, Anthony Satterthwaite; 2, Bolin Dai, John Harbottle. Open piano recital class: 1, Bolin Dai; 2, Anthony Satterthwaite. Open Piano duet: 1, Vanessa Kind and Catherine Walker-Grieves.

Novice strings: 1, Milo Collin; 2, Aaron Meleady; 3, Ariel Bingham. Instrumental solo, strings (16 years & under): 1, Elin Devine Douglass. Instrumental solo, strings open class: 1, Rebecca Howell.

Novice vocal solo (18 years & under): 1, Jessica Smyth; 2, Maisie Saunders. Vocal solo (13 years & under): 1, Amelia Lewis; 2, Pamelina Oubinova; 3, May Fowler. Vocal duet, any voices (13 years & under): 1, Ciara Thornley and Grace Mapplebeck. Vocal solo (16 years & under): 1, Pamelina Oubinova; 2, Amelia Lewis; 3, Saskia Beckwith-Davies. Vocal solo set piece, girls (16 years & under): 1, Pamelina Oubinova. Vocal solo, girls (18 years & under): 1, Rachel Bird; 2, Pamelina Oubinova.

Novice woodwind: 1, Daisy Aitchison. Instrumental solo, woodwind (9 years & under): 1, Megan Forbes. I nstrumental solo, woodwind (11 years & under): 1, Sam Baty. Instrumental solo, woodwind (13 years & under): 1, Magnus Bower; 2, Martha Cook; 3, Ted Gaukroger. Instrumental solo, woodwind (18 years & under): 1, Dominic Kilsby; 2, Katrina Kent. Instrumental solo, woodwind open class: 1, Christine Macgregor. TROPHIES Ogram Cup: Andrew Langford. Shaftoe Cup: Sebastian Kilsby. Allendale Cup: Lydia Kind. James Webster Cup: Caitlin Millmore. Maurice Dye Cup: Kieran Taylor. Millicent Marshall Cup: Kieran Taylor. St Andrew’s Cup and Festival 2000 Cup: Harry and George Rose. Anne Waddington Cups: Caitlin Millmore and Joshua Kotze. Millennium Salvers: Jessica Simpson and Kieran Taylor. Freeman Cup: Jessica Simpson and Kieran Taylor. George Pearson Cup: Craghead Training Band. Golden Jubilee Cup: Whittonstall Community Band. Sele Cup: Humshaugh First School. J ean Johnston Memorial Cup: Humshaugh First School. Walwick Cup: Sele Singers. Blackett-Ord Cup: Sele Singers. Centenary Cup: Shaftoe First School Choir. Humphrey Noble Trophy: St. Joseph’s Middle School choir. Slater Trophy: Jubilate. Hexham Round Table Cup: Charles Colborn. Edward Harding Trophy: 4th Generation. Mozart Trophy: St Joseph’s Middle School junior orchestra. Hencotes Cup: St.Joseph’s Middle School senior orchestra. Robson Cup: Tabbie Seago and Rosie Mace. Handel Trophy: Joel Asagba. Mozart Cup: Melody Fiang. Haydn Cup: Andrew Langford. Chopin Cup: Alice Bartley. Sullivan Phillips Cup: Ceara Sutton-Jones. Ronald Womersley Cup: Alexandra McMullen. Olive Hall Cup: Anthony Satterthwaite. Humphrey Noble Cup: Bolin Dai. Jean McKay Cups: Vanessa Kind and Catherine Walker-Grieves. Hadrian Cup: Milo Collin. Tynedale Festival Goblet: Elin Devine Douglass. Plunder Heath Rosebowl: Rebecca Howell. Harold King Cup: Jessica Smyth. Jowett Cup: Amelia Lewis. Joan Robson and Renee Shill Cups: Ciara Thornley and Grace Mapplebeck. Margaret Fuller Cup: Pamelina Oubinova. Jane Fleming Rosebowl: Pamelina Oubinova. Edward Taylor Cup: Rachel Bird. Elvaston Cup: Daisy Aitchison. Bishop Trophy: Megan Forbes. Beaumont Cup: Sam Baty. James Kirkwood Cup: Magnus Bower. Bainbridge Cup: Dominic Kilsby. Jane Fleming Salver: Christine Macgregor.