Aberdeen Press and Journal
July 31, 2004

Festival to showcase young musical talent

Nichola Workman

Young musicians from across the globe will descend on Aberdeen next
week for 11 days of music, dance and drama. For the Granite City will
play host to more than 600 talented musicians from local and foreign
shores for the 32nd Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

A total of 14 countries, from as far apart as Indonesia and
Kazakhstan, will be represented at the prestigious event. And
performances by ballet stars, opera singers, orchestras and rock
stars will take over stages in 30 venues across the city.

But the festival will not only showcase talent from overseas –
highlights of the event include performances by local performers and
musicians.

Indeed, the Bucksburn and District Juvenile Pipe Band will lead a
spectacular parade from Castlegate, along Union Street, on Wednesday
– the very first day of this year’s annual music celebration.

They will be followed by 21 groups of dazzling performers, many
dressed in national dress, singing and dancing their way to the
official opening ceremony in the city’s Music Hall. That will mark
the start of more than a week of shows in Aberdeen itself and a tour
of towns and villages as far afield as Ballater, Findhorn and
Arbroath.

Even office workers taking a break over lunch will be able to indulge
in a spot of culture, as some groups take to the stage for special
lunchtime performances. But the high point of the festival will
surely be the World Music Evening next Saturday.

Hosted by local Big Brother winner Cameron Stout, the event will also
coincide with the city’s Tartan Day celebrations. It will feature
music from the Toronto All Stars Steel Band, the Kyara Sound Team
from Japan, an Angklung orchestra from Indonesia, and musicians from
The Splore – the festival’s traditional Scottish Music School.

Another must-see promises to be a performance of The Magic Flute at
the MacRobert Hall, featuring on-the-brink-of-stardom opera singers
from Iceland, Sweden, France and Canada. Three local girls from Cults
Academy will also be among the cast, while the orchestra is the
Yerevan Youth Chamber Orchestra from Armenia.

The opera will be performed on Thursday, and Saturday but they will
put on an extra show next Monday especially for “opera-virgins”. The
pay-what-you-can night is a free performance aimed at bringing in
people who have never witnessed an opera. The audience will pay what
they can on leaving the hall.

For fans of rock and dance music, a festival club night is being laid
on at The Lemon Tree, where Kazakhstan band Ulytau will be top of the
bill. Local favourites Amy Sawyer and Stanley will also be
performing. And at the same venue, the International Mod will provide
a setting for the festival’s biggest jamming session.

Organisers hope to combine instruments never seen together before to
create a totally new sound.

The Lemon Tree’s Jamie Marshall said: “I’m certain we’re in for some
sparkling entertainment.” For more information about the festival, log
on to “. For tickets, contact the Aberdeen Box Office on
01224 641122.