17th Musselburgh Festival 1991
by Norrie Williams
B&F April 1991
MUSSELBURGH 1991
Junior Accordion
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo
1) Alexander Lindsay (Glenalmond)
2) Gill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Philip Copland (Dundee)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Solo
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Craig Skinner (Blackridge)
3) Alex Weir (Ayr)
Junior Traditional Duet
1)
2)
3)
Youngest Competitors
Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
Stuart Clements (Beith)
Senior Accordion
Senior Accordion Traditional Solo
1) Lynne Christie (Huntly)
2) Liam Howitt (Cambuslang)
3) Graham Bell (Chirnside)
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Wayne Robertson (Marywell)
3) Lynne Christie (Huntly)
Senior Overall Accordion Champion (The Bobby MacLeod Trophy)
Lynne Christie (Huntly)
Open Buttonkey
1) Neil Lowrie (Ballynahinch)
2) Bobby Coghill (Wick)
3) Bill McHardie (Friockheim)
Trio
1) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Lindsay Weir (Culbokie)
Band (Iain MacPhail Cup)
Marian Anderson (Duns)
Band – Rhythm Section (Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy)
Ryan McGlynn (Lochgilphead)
Own Composition
1) John Burns (Cumbernauld)
2) Alan Morrison (Forfar)
3) Lindsay Weir (Culbokie)
Under 12 Classical Solo
1) Philip Copland (Dundee)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Brian Aitchison (Galashiels)
Under 14 Classical Solo
1) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
2) Kevin Swinton (St Boswells)
3) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
Under 16 Classical Solo
1) Suzanne Colraine (Clydebank)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Kenneth Davidson (Falkirk)
Open Classical Solo
1) Michael Paton (Dunfermline)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Roy Hendrie (Glasgow)
Under 16 Classical Duet
1) Stewart Wilson (Ormiston) & Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels) & Lynne Bradshaw (Selkirk)
3) Mary Ellen Troup (Chapelhall) & Adele Millar (Chapelhall)
Open Classical Duet
1) Robert Muir (Dunfermline) & Robert Hutchison (Dunfermline)
2) Gail Smillie (Airdrie) & Lindsay Morrison (Chapelhall)
3) Suzanne & Craig Colraine (Clydebank)
Classical Polka
Under 14 Solo
1) Kevin Swinton (St Boswells)
2) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
3) Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
Open Classical Polka
1) Lynne Bradshaw (Selkirk)
2) Lesley Gibb (Balbeggie)
3) Lindsay Morrison (Airdrie)
Fiddle Sections
Junior Fiddle Solo - MSR
1) Karen Harper (Salmondsmuir)
2) Gilian Risi (Monifeith)
3) Hazel Kerr (Balmullo)
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air
1) Fiona Ballantine (Perth)
2) Hazel Kerr (Balmullo)
3) Gillian Risi (Monifeith)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR
1) Kathryn Nicoll (Kirriemuir)
2) Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
3) Paul Anderson (Bucksburn)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air
1) Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
2) Judith Linton (Duns)
3) Douglas Ballantyne (Uddingston)
Senior Fiddle Overall Champion (The Angus Fitchet Trophy)
Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
Fiddle Group
Auld Knight’s ‘Scratch’ Band (Newtongrange)
Musselburgh 1991
Buttons and Bowls
by Norrie Williams
By comparison with their domino-keyed counterparts real accordions (i.e. British Chromatic) are pretty thin on the ground. But on Saturday, 2nd March, two of these thoroughbreds managed to put ‘yours truly’ on a high. Attached to their respective handlers, they topped their particular classes, albeit small ones.
In the Under 12 Traditional Solo a ‘Hohner Gaelic’ in the hands of an eleven year old lad from Glenalmond in Perthshire, produced some grand steady playing with a good traditional feel. It is most encouraging to see one of the young generation taking up this particular type of instrument which in the earlier years of the Perth Festival was frequently the ‘choice of champions’, but is now an endangered species.
The other typewriter player who had been ‘airbourne’ is a shining example of one who lives up to the oft-quoted maxim uttered several years ago by my predecessor – “It’s not the winning that matters, it’s the trying that counts”.
Every year, for seven or eight years, Neil Lowrie (Shand Morino) has been making the arduous return journey from Ballynahinch in Northern Ireland to compete at 2 or 3 of our annual Scottish Accordion and Fiddle Festivals. Through dedication and hard work, he has steadily progressed from very shaky beginnings to become a competent player with a nice, relaxed style especially in the pipe idiom. His reception by the audiences at both the competition itself and the Winners’ Concert in the evening said it all. Mind you, yon cup would take some filling back in Ballynahinch!
Something has just occurred to me – we have an eleven year old grandson who lives in Glenalmond in Perthshire and plays a 3-row ‘Hohner Gaelic’. He is also a steady player with a good traditional feel – fancy that now!
Another plus this year, was that for the first time the whole Festival was under the one roof and all the vibrations we’ve had on this score so far have been positive ones. The atmosphere throughout the Brunton complex was as always, happy and relaxed, except perhaps for those intrepid souls who had to face that lonely spot centre stage with a ‘bogey man’ lurking behind a screen.
In the current climate with a tendency for entries to drop, we were encouraged by a rise of almost 10% which was a welcome boost after we hit an all-time low last year – in common with the majority of other similar Festivals I may add. The rise was almost entirely due to the new Classical Polka Classes which we introduced for the first time and which attracted 22 entries. Our thanks are due to those players and teachers who suggested the inclusion of this section.
And a very big thank you to the Newtongrange A&F Club for their donation of a fine shield for the Under 14 Polka class and also to Joan and Jimmy Blue for their gift of a most attractive cup, the ‘Tigh-na-Gorm’ (House of Blue) Trophy for the Open Polka.
Incidentally, quite a number of folk who don’t normally go along to the classical, went to hear the polka competitions and were pleasantly surprised, especially in the 14 and Under.
In general, the now expected high standard of playing was maintained throughout the majority of the classes with the junior fiddle and junior accordion (pipe) sections evoking much favourable comment.
And it was ladies’ day once again in the Scottish senior accordion competitions with both classes going to the fair sex.
The two classes with the greatest audience appeal, viz. the Trios and Bands, rallied comfortably this year with entries of eleven and six compared with only five and four in 1990, but the relatively small entries in the Button Key and Fiddle Group sections are giving some cause for concern.
Attendances at the Winners’ concert and the dance were down a bit, but both went with a swing, the former in the charge of Compere Andrew Nairn, who kept the ‘jam-packed’ programme going like a train, despite the turmoil in the wings. Andrew, who officiates at many big fiddle orchestra concerts, has a couthie humour which is absolutely right for a basically traditional fiddle and accordion function.
Simon Howie from Dunning and his band ‘worked like Trojans’ on our behalf for almost three hours at the dance, with a tight sound and some cracking sets of tunes. There were one or two dissenting voices about the decibel level of the band, but there seems to be an acoustics problem in that hall, which leads to an uneven distribution of sound across the area, so the amplification level was maintained so as to cater for the dead spots. Incidentally ‘Slipperene’ was not put down as promised last year, because the hall regulations preclude its use.
The success of a day like this requires an input from literally scores of people and on behalf of the Festival Committee, may I record our warmest thanks to the following :- To our team of adjudicators and their secretaries for an unenviable job very well done (no waves as yet); to the announcers, marshals, scrutineers, stewards, receptionists, door minders and accompanists for their uncomplaining, often unobtrusive but indispensable help. These valuable souls hailed from the following Clubs or areas :- Beith, Connon Bridge, Culross, Dundee, Dunfermline, East Kilbride, Fintry, Glasgow, Lesmahagow, Lochgelly, Mauchline, Milngavie, Newtongrange, Perth, Renfrew and Torthorwald.
To the following radio stations for their pre and post Festival coverage :-
Radio Clyde – Jim MacLeod and Alastair MacDonald
Radio Forth – Robin Brock
Radio Highland – Rory MacLeod
Radio Moray – Andy Ross
BBC Radio Scotland – Art Sutter and Robbie Shepherd
Radio Tay – Ian Anderson
Radio West Sound – John Carmichael
And, of course, a big thank you to B.B.C. Radio Scotland’s Ken Mutch and his team for once again recording the concert and for transmitting edited excerpts and comments on ‘Shepherd’s Fancy’ within 48 hours of the event. I just don’t know how they do it and you’d never know they were there.
Bowls – Thanks to all those individuals and clubs who contributed raffle prizes – Beith, Fintry, Mauchline, Milngavie, Newtongrange and Perth and a special thank you to ‘Loganair’ for the donation of crystal whisky glasses and especially to the company ‘Caithness Glass’ of Perth for the star prize. The company went to a great deal of trouble on our behalf and came up with something special, a magnificent large rose bowl (a la ‘Mastermind’) especially engraved with the N.A.A.F.C. logo and ‘Musselburgh, 1991’. A unique item, one to be treasured by the lucky winner.
And once again we are grateful to John McQueen of Dumfries, who donated two medals for the youngest competitors (boy and girl); to the caterer, Mr Lamb from Edinburgh, who looked after our every need in the solid and liquid nosh line, from very early to very late, and to the staff of the Brunton Halls for all their willing help and co-operation. And, of course, to all who came and supported the festival, the exhibitors, the listeners, the dancers and most importantly, the competitors from far and near. Without you, there would be no point in us even leaving the house. Hope to see you all next year.
Finally, my personal thanks to the N.A.A.F.C. Chairman, Jimmy Blue and his Executive Committee for all their help and support and to my own Festival Committee for all their patience and hard work – Joan Blue, Tom Clark, Eddie MacDonald, Bob and Ann Scott, Willie Wilson and to the organizing secretary/treasurer, my wife Sheila.
Junior Accordion
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo
1) Alexander Lindsay (Glenalmond)
2) Gill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Philip Copland (Dundee)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Solo
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Craig Skinner (Blackridge)
3) Alex Weir (Ayr)
Junior Traditional Duet
1)
2)
3)
Youngest Competitors
Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
Stuart Clements (Beith)
Senior Accordion
Senior Accordion Traditional Solo
1) Lynne Christie (Huntly)
2) Liam Howitt (Cambuslang)
3) Graham Bell (Chirnside)
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Wayne Robertson (Marywell)
3) Lynne Christie (Huntly)
Senior Overall Accordion Champion (The Bobby MacLeod Trophy)
Lynne Christie (Huntly)
Open Buttonkey
1) Neil Lowrie (Ballynahinch)
2) Bobby Coghill (Wick)
3) Bill McHardie (Friockheim)
Trio
1) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Lindsay Weir (Culbokie)
Band (Iain MacPhail Cup)
Marian Anderson (Duns)
Band – Rhythm Section (Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy)
Ryan McGlynn (Lochgilphead)
Own Composition
1) John Burns (Cumbernauld)
2) Alan Morrison (Forfar)
3) Lindsay Weir (Culbokie)
Under 12 Classical Solo
1) Philip Copland (Dundee)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Brian Aitchison (Galashiels)
Under 14 Classical Solo
1) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
2) Kevin Swinton (St Boswells)
3) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
Under 16 Classical Solo
1) Suzanne Colraine (Clydebank)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Kenneth Davidson (Falkirk)
Open Classical Solo
1) Michael Paton (Dunfermline)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
3) Roy Hendrie (Glasgow)
Under 16 Classical Duet
1) Stewart Wilson (Ormiston) & Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
2) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels) & Lynne Bradshaw (Selkirk)
3) Mary Ellen Troup (Chapelhall) & Adele Millar (Chapelhall)
Open Classical Duet
1) Robert Muir (Dunfermline) & Robert Hutchison (Dunfermline)
2) Gail Smillie (Airdrie) & Lindsay Morrison (Chapelhall)
3) Suzanne & Craig Colraine (Clydebank)
Classical Polka
Under 14 Solo
1) Kevin Swinton (St Boswells)
2) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
3) Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
Open Classical Polka
1) Lynne Bradshaw (Selkirk)
2) Lesley Gibb (Balbeggie)
3) Lindsay Morrison (Airdrie)
Fiddle Sections
Junior Fiddle Solo - MSR
1) Karen Harper (Salmondsmuir)
2) Gilian Risi (Monifeith)
3) Hazel Kerr (Balmullo)
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air
1) Fiona Ballantine (Perth)
2) Hazel Kerr (Balmullo)
3) Gillian Risi (Monifeith)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR
1) Kathryn Nicoll (Kirriemuir)
2) Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
3) Paul Anderson (Bucksburn)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air
1) Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
2) Judith Linton (Duns)
3) Douglas Ballantyne (Uddingston)
Senior Fiddle Overall Champion (The Angus Fitchet Trophy)
Alistair McCulloch (Ayr)
Fiddle Group
Auld Knight’s ‘Scratch’ Band (Newtongrange)
Musselburgh 1991
Buttons and Bowls
by Norrie Williams
By comparison with their domino-keyed counterparts real accordions (i.e. British Chromatic) are pretty thin on the ground. But on Saturday, 2nd March, two of these thoroughbreds managed to put ‘yours truly’ on a high. Attached to their respective handlers, they topped their particular classes, albeit small ones.
In the Under 12 Traditional Solo a ‘Hohner Gaelic’ in the hands of an eleven year old lad from Glenalmond in Perthshire, produced some grand steady playing with a good traditional feel. It is most encouraging to see one of the young generation taking up this particular type of instrument which in the earlier years of the Perth Festival was frequently the ‘choice of champions’, but is now an endangered species.
The other typewriter player who had been ‘airbourne’ is a shining example of one who lives up to the oft-quoted maxim uttered several years ago by my predecessor – “It’s not the winning that matters, it’s the trying that counts”.
Every year, for seven or eight years, Neil Lowrie (Shand Morino) has been making the arduous return journey from Ballynahinch in Northern Ireland to compete at 2 or 3 of our annual Scottish Accordion and Fiddle Festivals. Through dedication and hard work, he has steadily progressed from very shaky beginnings to become a competent player with a nice, relaxed style especially in the pipe idiom. His reception by the audiences at both the competition itself and the Winners’ Concert in the evening said it all. Mind you, yon cup would take some filling back in Ballynahinch!
Something has just occurred to me – we have an eleven year old grandson who lives in Glenalmond in Perthshire and plays a 3-row ‘Hohner Gaelic’. He is also a steady player with a good traditional feel – fancy that now!
Another plus this year, was that for the first time the whole Festival was under the one roof and all the vibrations we’ve had on this score so far have been positive ones. The atmosphere throughout the Brunton complex was as always, happy and relaxed, except perhaps for those intrepid souls who had to face that lonely spot centre stage with a ‘bogey man’ lurking behind a screen.
In the current climate with a tendency for entries to drop, we were encouraged by a rise of almost 10% which was a welcome boost after we hit an all-time low last year – in common with the majority of other similar Festivals I may add. The rise was almost entirely due to the new Classical Polka Classes which we introduced for the first time and which attracted 22 entries. Our thanks are due to those players and teachers who suggested the inclusion of this section.
And a very big thank you to the Newtongrange A&F Club for their donation of a fine shield for the Under 14 Polka class and also to Joan and Jimmy Blue for their gift of a most attractive cup, the ‘Tigh-na-Gorm’ (House of Blue) Trophy for the Open Polka.
Incidentally, quite a number of folk who don’t normally go along to the classical, went to hear the polka competitions and were pleasantly surprised, especially in the 14 and Under.
In general, the now expected high standard of playing was maintained throughout the majority of the classes with the junior fiddle and junior accordion (pipe) sections evoking much favourable comment.
And it was ladies’ day once again in the Scottish senior accordion competitions with both classes going to the fair sex.
The two classes with the greatest audience appeal, viz. the Trios and Bands, rallied comfortably this year with entries of eleven and six compared with only five and four in 1990, but the relatively small entries in the Button Key and Fiddle Group sections are giving some cause for concern.
Attendances at the Winners’ concert and the dance were down a bit, but both went with a swing, the former in the charge of Compere Andrew Nairn, who kept the ‘jam-packed’ programme going like a train, despite the turmoil in the wings. Andrew, who officiates at many big fiddle orchestra concerts, has a couthie humour which is absolutely right for a basically traditional fiddle and accordion function.
Simon Howie from Dunning and his band ‘worked like Trojans’ on our behalf for almost three hours at the dance, with a tight sound and some cracking sets of tunes. There were one or two dissenting voices about the decibel level of the band, but there seems to be an acoustics problem in that hall, which leads to an uneven distribution of sound across the area, so the amplification level was maintained so as to cater for the dead spots. Incidentally ‘Slipperene’ was not put down as promised last year, because the hall regulations preclude its use.
The success of a day like this requires an input from literally scores of people and on behalf of the Festival Committee, may I record our warmest thanks to the following :- To our team of adjudicators and their secretaries for an unenviable job very well done (no waves as yet); to the announcers, marshals, scrutineers, stewards, receptionists, door minders and accompanists for their uncomplaining, often unobtrusive but indispensable help. These valuable souls hailed from the following Clubs or areas :- Beith, Connon Bridge, Culross, Dundee, Dunfermline, East Kilbride, Fintry, Glasgow, Lesmahagow, Lochgelly, Mauchline, Milngavie, Newtongrange, Perth, Renfrew and Torthorwald.
To the following radio stations for their pre and post Festival coverage :-
Radio Clyde – Jim MacLeod and Alastair MacDonald
Radio Forth – Robin Brock
Radio Highland – Rory MacLeod
Radio Moray – Andy Ross
BBC Radio Scotland – Art Sutter and Robbie Shepherd
Radio Tay – Ian Anderson
Radio West Sound – John Carmichael
And, of course, a big thank you to B.B.C. Radio Scotland’s Ken Mutch and his team for once again recording the concert and for transmitting edited excerpts and comments on ‘Shepherd’s Fancy’ within 48 hours of the event. I just don’t know how they do it and you’d never know they were there.
Bowls – Thanks to all those individuals and clubs who contributed raffle prizes – Beith, Fintry, Mauchline, Milngavie, Newtongrange and Perth and a special thank you to ‘Loganair’ for the donation of crystal whisky glasses and especially to the company ‘Caithness Glass’ of Perth for the star prize. The company went to a great deal of trouble on our behalf and came up with something special, a magnificent large rose bowl (a la ‘Mastermind’) especially engraved with the N.A.A.F.C. logo and ‘Musselburgh, 1991’. A unique item, one to be treasured by the lucky winner.
And once again we are grateful to John McQueen of Dumfries, who donated two medals for the youngest competitors (boy and girl); to the caterer, Mr Lamb from Edinburgh, who looked after our every need in the solid and liquid nosh line, from very early to very late, and to the staff of the Brunton Halls for all their willing help and co-operation. And, of course, to all who came and supported the festival, the exhibitors, the listeners, the dancers and most importantly, the competitors from far and near. Without you, there would be no point in us even leaving the house. Hope to see you all next year.
Finally, my personal thanks to the N.A.A.F.C. Chairman, Jimmy Blue and his Executive Committee for all their help and support and to my own Festival Committee for all their patience and hard work – Joan Blue, Tom Clark, Eddie MacDonald, Bob and Ann Scott, Willie Wilson and to the organizing secretary/treasurer, my wife Sheila.