42nd Perth All Scotland Festival
“The Best Yet”
by Robert Kennedy
B&F December 1991
This seemed to be the opinion of everyone who attended the evening concert of the Perth 42nd All Scotland Festival. With a cast of long established celebrities including Jim MacLeod, George Duffus and the delightful Danielle Pauly from France – it is not surprising that the show was sold out well in advance.
The atmosphere was created and the tempo set by the Minstrels and the Sandra Wright Dancers who followed the Bill Wilkie Band act.
A highlight of the show was the brilliant performance of Billy McGuire, first on his miniature Chinese melodeon then on his much loved Paolo Soprani. Just a run-of-the-mill accordion, but in Billy’s hands, more like a Shand Morino.
You could have heard a pin drop during the finals of the Senior Open (Trad) Championship. The atmosphere was tense and one could see the strain on the faces of many of the finalists. The most relaxed of all was the man who won, Robert Ross of Alloa. He is our new All Scotland Open Solo (Trad) Champion. It was, however, a highly competitive contest with runner-up James Coutts of Kirkcaldy only one point behind the champion.
Mention must be made of the confident, controlled style of the new Under 12’s Champion Gordon Fraser of Munlochy, Inverness. This is the first year of this section and Gordon got it off to a great start.
Talented James Coutts presented his winning Trio in the concert and what music this was. His fiddler had to rush away to play with Jim Johnstone during the evening so Ron Gonella, after adjudicating all day, sportingly offered to stand in with the Trio for the concert appearance. Ron is the greatest of all professionals and the competitors adored his style of adjudication. His remarks were designed to help them understand what is required and to encourage them to do better next year.
There was feverish activity during the day with 9 adjudicators employed to adjudicate the contests in 7 halls. Entries for many of the Scottish Sections were up this year. For instance, the Senior Scottish Band Contest had 7 entries against 2 last year, however classical sections were down due to the fact it is thought that many accordionists in Scotland are disenchanted with the N.A.O. who are always late in publishing the test pieces and as Perth is first in the year’s cycle of contests, teachers do not have time to prepare their pupils for this important Festival.
Also, there have been occasions when the pieces selected by the N.A.O. were unavailable anywhere, causing further delays.
It has been rumoured in many areas that if the N.A.O. does not get its act together regarding North of the Border, Scotland may form its own N.A.O. and have its own national contests for the classical sections. This would be a sad blow to the All-Britain Accordion Day which depends to a larger extent on the huge contingents of Scottish accordionists.
Returning to the Concert. The charming Danielle Paulyproved to be one of the most popular of all the many virtuoso artistes BillWilkie has brought over from the Continent for his shows over the years and accordionists were fascinated by her demonstration of the French Maugein Frere accordions in the foyer of the City Hall during the day. I am sure it will not be long before Bill arranges a return visit for this brilliant and beautiful artiste.
Thanks to Bill and Ena Wilkie and all their willing staff for a happy and smooth running Festival and a show to remember for many a year to come.
The official winners list for 1991 is :
Senior Scottish Traditional
1) Robert Ross (Alloa)
2) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
3) Wayne Robertson (Arbroath)
Senior Scottish Pipe Music
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) Michael Philip (Cardenden)
All Scotland Senior Amateur
1) Richard Wong (Glasgow)
2) Alisdair MacCuish (Paisley)
3) Douglas Hunter (Musselburgh)
Veterans’ Section
1) Bobby Crowe (Balmullo)
2) Alan Morrison (Forfar)
3) Hector Henderson (Fort William)
Scottish Traditional (Under 12)
1) Gordon Fraser (Munlochy)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Angus Lyon (Lamington)
Junior Scottish Traditional
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Scott Gordon (Galston)
3) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
Junior Solo Pipe Music
1)= Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
1)= Scott Gordon (Galston)
2)= Craig Skinner (Blackridge)
2)= Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
Senior Ladies Scottish Trad
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) Fiona Gilfillan (Perth)
Junior Girls Scottish Traditional (Under 16)
1) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
2) Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
3) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
Own Composition
1) Wayne Robertson (Marywell)
2) Michael Philip (Cardenden)
3) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
Trios
1) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) David Oswald (Blairgowrie)
Senior Scottish Country Dance Band
1) Ian Hutson (Dunbar)
2) Scott Leslie (Dunbar)
Junior Scottish Country Dance Band
1) Kenny Johnstone (Crawfordjohn)
2) The Sma’ Glen Tappers (Crieff)
FIDDLE CLASSES
Junior Fiddle, Under 12
1) Jacqueline Beaumont (Sma’ Glen)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle (Under 16)
1) Alan Thomson (Kirriemuir)
2) Ewan Stark (Falkland)
3) Sara Fraser (Crieff)
Senior Fiddle
1) Mhairi Skinner (Currie)
2) Keith McWhan (Dumfries)
3) Marie Fielding (Pathhead)
CLASSICAL CLASSES
7 Years and Under
1) Alastair Lang (Linwood)
2) Greme Richmond (Inchinnan)
3) Ritchie Craig (Haddington)
9 Years and Under
1) Fiona Greer
2) Scott Ramsay (Erskine)
3) Euan Crawford (Paisley)
11 Years and Under
1) James McKelvie
2) Simon Bain (Renfrew)
3) Alistair McKenzie (Inchinnan)
13 Years and Under
1) Kevin Swinton
2) Angus Lyon (Lamington)
3) David Ritchie
15 Years and Under
1) Kirsten Lyon (Lamington)
2) Colin McNeill (Carluke)
3) Elizabeth Flannigan (St Boswells)
John Leslie Championship
1) Angela Small (Dunshelt)
2)
Area Junior Championship
1) l
2)
3)
Preparatory Solo
1) Robin Hamilton (Haddington)
2) Iain Prentice (Dolphinton)
3) Bruce Gibb (Balbeggie)
Elementary Solo
1) Marie Leonard (Dunfermline)
2) Mark Harbinson (Motherwell)
3) Marion McLeod (Helensburgh)
Higher Elementary Solo
1) Neill Skinner (Biggar)
2) Stuart Coubrough (Biggar)
3) Anthony Mitchell (Biggar)
Intermediate Solo
1) Colin Train (Carluke)
2) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
3) Janette Winters (Glasgow)
Higher Intermediate Solo
1) Alex Meikle (Lochwinnoch)
2) Shirley Campbell (Dumfries)
3) Kirsty Benton (Carluke)
Advanced Solo Championship
1) Aileen Smith (Kinross)
2) Michael Craig (Rosyth)
3) Craig Cuthbertson (Dunfermline)
Open Area Solo
1) Michael Paton (Dunfermline)
2) Craig Drysdale (Kirkcaldy)
3) Grant McConnell (Carluke)
Polka (Under 16)
1) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Eileen Harkness (Paisley)
Senior Polka Section (16 and over)
1) Fiona Cuthbertson (Closeburn)
2) Pamela Mutch (Armadale)
3) Andrew Smith (Dunbar)
Theme Solo
Elementary Free Bass
1)
Intermediate Free Bass
1)
2)
Open Solo Free Bass
1)
2)
Entertainment
1)
Preparatory Duet
1)
2)
3)
Elementary Duet
1) David & Marcus McCloy (Wishaw)
2) Jill & Vicki Craig (Haddington)
3) Joanne Lindsay & Lynne Stevenson (Wishaw)
Intermediate Duet
1)
2)
3)
Higher Intermediate Duet
1)
2)
3)
Advanced Duet
1)
2)
Premier Duet
1) Robert Muir & Robert Hutcheson (Dunfermline)
Preparatory Band
1)
2)
Elementary Band
1)
2)
Intermediate Band
1)
2)
Advanced Band
1)
2)
Elementary Orchestra
1) J. R. Brown Elementary Orchestra (Wishaw)
2) Keith Dickson Elementary Orchestra (Dolphinton)
Intermediate Orchestra
1) J. R. Brown Intermediate Orchestra (Wishaw)
2)
3)
Advanced Group Section
1)
2)
Art Level Group
1) Kingdom Six Art Level Group (Lochgelly)
Bell Trophy Championship
The atmosphere was created and the tempo set by the Minstrels and the Sandra Wright Dancers who followed the Bill Wilkie Band act.
A highlight of the show was the brilliant performance of Billy McGuire, first on his miniature Chinese melodeon then on his much loved Paolo Soprani. Just a run-of-the-mill accordion, but in Billy’s hands, more like a Shand Morino.
You could have heard a pin drop during the finals of the Senior Open (Trad) Championship. The atmosphere was tense and one could see the strain on the faces of many of the finalists. The most relaxed of all was the man who won, Robert Ross of Alloa. He is our new All Scotland Open Solo (Trad) Champion. It was, however, a highly competitive contest with runner-up James Coutts of Kirkcaldy only one point behind the champion.
Mention must be made of the confident, controlled style of the new Under 12’s Champion Gordon Fraser of Munlochy, Inverness. This is the first year of this section and Gordon got it off to a great start.
Talented James Coutts presented his winning Trio in the concert and what music this was. His fiddler had to rush away to play with Jim Johnstone during the evening so Ron Gonella, after adjudicating all day, sportingly offered to stand in with the Trio for the concert appearance. Ron is the greatest of all professionals and the competitors adored his style of adjudication. His remarks were designed to help them understand what is required and to encourage them to do better next year.
There was feverish activity during the day with 9 adjudicators employed to adjudicate the contests in 7 halls. Entries for many of the Scottish Sections were up this year. For instance, the Senior Scottish Band Contest had 7 entries against 2 last year, however classical sections were down due to the fact it is thought that many accordionists in Scotland are disenchanted with the N.A.O. who are always late in publishing the test pieces and as Perth is first in the year’s cycle of contests, teachers do not have time to prepare their pupils for this important Festival.
Also, there have been occasions when the pieces selected by the N.A.O. were unavailable anywhere, causing further delays.
It has been rumoured in many areas that if the N.A.O. does not get its act together regarding North of the Border, Scotland may form its own N.A.O. and have its own national contests for the classical sections. This would be a sad blow to the All-Britain Accordion Day which depends to a larger extent on the huge contingents of Scottish accordionists.
Returning to the Concert. The charming Danielle Paulyproved to be one of the most popular of all the many virtuoso artistes BillWilkie has brought over from the Continent for his shows over the years and accordionists were fascinated by her demonstration of the French Maugein Frere accordions in the foyer of the City Hall during the day. I am sure it will not be long before Bill arranges a return visit for this brilliant and beautiful artiste.
Thanks to Bill and Ena Wilkie and all their willing staff for a happy and smooth running Festival and a show to remember for many a year to come.
The official winners list for 1991 is :
Senior Scottish Traditional
1) Robert Ross (Alloa)
2) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
3) Wayne Robertson (Arbroath)
Senior Scottish Pipe Music
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) Michael Philip (Cardenden)
All Scotland Senior Amateur
1) Richard Wong (Glasgow)
2) Alisdair MacCuish (Paisley)
3) Douglas Hunter (Musselburgh)
Veterans’ Section
1) Bobby Crowe (Balmullo)
2) Alan Morrison (Forfar)
3) Hector Henderson (Fort William)
Scottish Traditional (Under 12)
1) Gordon Fraser (Munlochy)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Angus Lyon (Lamington)
Junior Scottish Traditional
1) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Scott Gordon (Galston)
3) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
Junior Solo Pipe Music
1)= Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
1)= Scott Gordon (Galston)
2)= Craig Skinner (Blackridge)
2)= Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
Senior Ladies Scottish Trad
1) Lynn Gould (Huntly)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) Fiona Gilfillan (Perth)
Junior Girls Scottish Traditional (Under 16)
1) Elizabeth Flanagan (Galashiels)
2) Pauline Bradley (Balloch)
3) Mhairi Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
Own Composition
1) Wayne Robertson (Marywell)
2) Michael Philip (Cardenden)
3) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
Trios
1) James Coutts (Kirkcaldy)
2) Lindsay Weir (Dingwall)
3) David Oswald (Blairgowrie)
Senior Scottish Country Dance Band
1) Ian Hutson (Dunbar)
2) Scott Leslie (Dunbar)
Junior Scottish Country Dance Band
1) Kenny Johnstone (Crawfordjohn)
2) The Sma’ Glen Tappers (Crieff)
FIDDLE CLASSES
Junior Fiddle, Under 12
1) Jacqueline Beaumont (Sma’ Glen)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle (Under 16)
1) Alan Thomson (Kirriemuir)
2) Ewan Stark (Falkland)
3) Sara Fraser (Crieff)
Senior Fiddle
1) Mhairi Skinner (Currie)
2) Keith McWhan (Dumfries)
3) Marie Fielding (Pathhead)
CLASSICAL CLASSES
7 Years and Under
1) Alastair Lang (Linwood)
2) Greme Richmond (Inchinnan)
3) Ritchie Craig (Haddington)
9 Years and Under
1) Fiona Greer
2) Scott Ramsay (Erskine)
3) Euan Crawford (Paisley)
11 Years and Under
1) James McKelvie
2) Simon Bain (Renfrew)
3) Alistair McKenzie (Inchinnan)
13 Years and Under
1) Kevin Swinton
2) Angus Lyon (Lamington)
3) David Ritchie
15 Years and Under
1) Kirsten Lyon (Lamington)
2) Colin McNeill (Carluke)
3) Elizabeth Flannigan (St Boswells)
John Leslie Championship
1) Angela Small (Dunshelt)
2)
Area Junior Championship
1) l
2)
3)
Preparatory Solo
1) Robin Hamilton (Haddington)
2) Iain Prentice (Dolphinton)
3) Bruce Gibb (Balbeggie)
Elementary Solo
1) Marie Leonard (Dunfermline)
2) Mark Harbinson (Motherwell)
3) Marion McLeod (Helensburgh)
Higher Elementary Solo
1) Neill Skinner (Biggar)
2) Stuart Coubrough (Biggar)
3) Anthony Mitchell (Biggar)
Intermediate Solo
1) Colin Train (Carluke)
2) Ian Shepherd (Dalkeith)
3) Janette Winters (Glasgow)
Higher Intermediate Solo
1) Alex Meikle (Lochwinnoch)
2) Shirley Campbell (Dumfries)
3) Kirsty Benton (Carluke)
Advanced Solo Championship
1) Aileen Smith (Kinross)
2) Michael Craig (Rosyth)
3) Craig Cuthbertson (Dunfermline)
Open Area Solo
1) Michael Paton (Dunfermline)
2) Craig Drysdale (Kirkcaldy)
3) Grant McConnell (Carluke)
Polka (Under 16)
1) Andrew Gordon (Bonhill)
2) Jill Blackburn (Hexham)
3) Eileen Harkness (Paisley)
Senior Polka Section (16 and over)
1) Fiona Cuthbertson (Closeburn)
2) Pamela Mutch (Armadale)
3) Andrew Smith (Dunbar)
Theme Solo
Elementary Free Bass
1)
Intermediate Free Bass
1)
2)
Open Solo Free Bass
1)
2)
Entertainment
1)
Preparatory Duet
1)
2)
3)
Elementary Duet
1) David & Marcus McCloy (Wishaw)
2) Jill & Vicki Craig (Haddington)
3) Joanne Lindsay & Lynne Stevenson (Wishaw)
Intermediate Duet
1)
2)
3)
Higher Intermediate Duet
1)
2)
3)
Advanced Duet
1)
2)
Premier Duet
1) Robert Muir & Robert Hutcheson (Dunfermline)
Preparatory Band
1)
2)
Elementary Band
1)
2)
Intermediate Band
1)
2)
Advanced Band
1)
2)
Elementary Orchestra
1) J. R. Brown Elementary Orchestra (Wishaw)
2) Keith Dickson Elementary Orchestra (Dolphinton)
Intermediate Orchestra
1) J. R. Brown Intermediate Orchestra (Wishaw)
2)
3)
Advanced Group Section
1)
2)
Art Level Group
1) Kingdom Six Art Level Group (Lochgelly)
Bell Trophy Championship