Celebrating 100 Years of the Ayrshire Music Festival

The Ayrshire Music Festival opened its doors for the very first Festival in 1912 and so 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of that first Festival.

On Saturday 8 October 2011, to coincide with the publication of the 2012 festival syllabus, the Ayshire Music Festival held a very special concert to commemorate the anniversary. All the Music Festival disciplines were represented with past performers returning to take part and specially commissioned works were performed.

Primary and Secondary choirs made up of pupils from South and North Ayrshire respectively performed, with the instrumentalists being represented by a specially formed Music Festival Orchestra. Many musicians from many different eras of the festival's school's string orchestra competition took part in a special performance of the St Paul's Suite by Holst - a true festival favourite.

Two new works were also showcased at the concert. To represent Speech and Drama a poem especially written for the occasion by Alan Riach had its first performance and a specially devised new Scottish Country Dance was performed by The Thornhill Dancers.

As a grand finale, past participants from the Festival performed Saint Saens' Carnival of the Animals. Many of our young performers have gone on to have careers in music and a group of these, young and old, were invited to take part in this celebratory performance.

The evening was a great success, with a audience filling every seat in the Town Hall, not to mention a very busy and full stage of performers - a fitting celebration of the 100 years!

Following the concert there was an opportunity to view exhibits and displays highlighting the work of the Festival over the years. We hope to replicate some of these exhibits online soon.