39th Annual NAAFC Festival at Inshyra Grange
by James Coutts
B&F April 2013
Saturday 2nd March and The MacDonald Inshyra Hotel was abuzz with great musicians it hosted the 39th NAAFC Festival. Competitor numbers held up at around 180, which is encouraging in the current economic climate, and the standard of performance was extremely high, in keeping with previous years.
In response to requests from several teachers, we re-banded the age limits for the polka and musette competitions and hopefully this will lead to a sustained increase in entries in future years.
Provost Pat Reid, of Falkirk Council, kindly donated a trophy to the Festival, having been extremely impressed on his first visit last year. To try to bring something a wee bit different to the Festival we introduced an Accordion Showband section for ‘The Provost’s cup’ and it was certainly one of the big talking points of this year’s Festival. Although we only had one entry, The Keith Dickson Accordion Showband, comprising of 19 musicians and vocalists under the age of 18, they gave a fantastic performance. Having got this section up and running, hopefully it will flourish and attract more entries next year.
We changed the timing of this year’s concert, in order to try to attract a bigger crowd and to prevent some of the young prize winners having to stay so late. The concert commenced with one of the day’s adjudicators, Liam Stewart, showcasing the LIMEX MIDI system and we are extremely grateful to Roy Hendrie and LIMEX for donating two £250 vouchers towards the cost of a LIMEX system, and these were awarded to the overall Junior and Senior Accordion Champions.
As always, we were delighted to have Jennifer Cruickshank and her team from BBC Radio Scotland in attendance, and I know she was extremely pleased with the quality of recordings obtained from both the Concert and the competitions.
With the concert finished earlier than normal, everyone had a wee bit more time to enjoy their evening meal before the fantastic sound of Tom Orr and his Band gave us a dance to remember. It was great to see so many youngsters at the dance this year and the floor was pretty much full from start to finish. For me, Tom Orr epitomizes what the Festival is all about, having started as a young solo competitor before going on to win all the major honours (several times over in some cases) and now establishing himself as one of the country’s top bandleaders.
Inshyra has been booked to host the Festival on Saturday 1st March 2014 and this will be our 40th festival. We would be pleased to hear any ideas on how you would like to see this milestone celebrated. We’d like to do something special without taking away the core features of the Festival.
As always, I’d like to finish by expressing my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported the Festival this year. This includes all the competitors, teachers, helpers, adjudicators, BBC Radio Scotland, traders, advertisers, member clubs and enthusiasts. Special mention once again goes to Eleanor and John Bond of Ayr and Billy Hutton of Campsie, not forgetting the Festival Committee for their magnificent support this year.
Junior Accordion
Under 10 Traditional Accordion Solo – Islesteps Shield
1)
2)
3)
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo – Pentland Cup
1)
2)
3)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Accordion Solo – Jim Johnstone Cup
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Accordion Solo – James Paterson Memorial Trophy
Most Promising Player
Ciorstaidh-Sarah Chaimbeul
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music – Bill Black Cup
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
Junior Traditional Duet – Angus Howie Cups
1) Magnus & Anna Westwell (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Overall Junior Accordion Champion – Alex Little Memorial Trophy
Adam Gibb (Biggar)
Senior Accordion
Senior Traditional Accordion Solo – Clinkscale Cup
1) Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo – Bill Powrie Memorial Cup
1) Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Open Accordion Championship – Todhills Trophy
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
Senior Overall Accordion Champion - The Bobby MacLeod Trophy
Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
Open Buttonkey Accordion Solo – Windygates Trophy
1) Brandon McPhee (Caithness)
2)
3)
Trios – Jimmy Blue Trophy & Eric Goodfellow Memorial Shield
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
Trio Runners-Up – Eric Goodfellow Memorial Shield
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Trios – Best Piano Player – David Flockhart Shield
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Bands – Overall Winner - Iain MacPhail Cup
John Burns (Falkirk)
Runners Up John Fairbairn Memorial Trophy
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Band – Rhythm Section - Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Junior Band – Duncan Campbell of Oban Memorial Trophy
Campbell Fleming & Ewan Dowie
Own Composition – Willie Wilson Cup
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
RSCDS Open Dance – RSCDS Trophy
1) Shona MacFadyen (West Kilbride)
2)
Accordion Showband – Provost’s Cup
1) Keith Dickson Accordion Showband
Under 12 Classical Solo – Kelso Cup
1) No entry
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Solo – Dundee Shield
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
Open Classical Solo – Jimmy Clinkscale Shield
1) Sarah Alexander (Buckie)
2)
3)
Under 13 Classical Duet – Beith & District A&F Club Cups (Willie Wilson Memorial Trophies)
1) Kyle and Alan Rowan (Edinburgh)
2)
Under 16 Classical Duet - Alex MacArthur Cups
1) Ellie Borthwick (Newtongrange) & Katie Todd (Dalkeith)
2)
3)
Open Classical Duet – Dunfermline Cup
1) Duncan Muir (Thornhill) & Claire Black (Biggar)
2)
3)
Classical Polka
Under 10 Classical Polka Solo – The Todhills Trophy
1)
2)
Under 12 Classical Polka Solo – Newtongrange Shield
1) Cameron McLaren (Cupar)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Polka Solo – Aberdeen Cup
1) Alex Stewart (Stanley)
2)
3)
Open Classical Polka Solo – Tign-Na-Gorm Cup
1) Leonard Brown (South Shiels)
2)
3)
Under 12 Classical Musette Accordion Solo – John Laidlaw Memorial Trophy
1) Andrew Erskine (Biggar)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Musette Solo – George & Margaret Smith (Newtongrange) Shield
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
Open Classical Musette Accordion Solo – Christine Hunter Memorial Trophy
1) Paul Capaldi (Galashiels)
2)
3)
Fiddle Sections
Under 12 Fiddle Solo – NAAFC Musselburgh Festival Trophy
1) Anna Westwell (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – MSR – Strathspey and Reel Association Cup & Kirsy’s Ceilidh Shield
1) Hannah Renton (Aberdeen)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Dougie Welsh Memorial Cup
1) Eilidh MacLeod (Stornoway)
2)
3)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR – St. Boswell Cup
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Ron Gonella Cup
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Open Fiddle Championship – Banchory S&R Society Trophy
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Open Fiddle Solo Hornpipe and Jig – John Ellis Trophy
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Overall Fiddle Champion - The Angus Fitchet Trophy
Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
Overall Junior Fiddle Champion – Judith Linton Trophy
Hannah Renton (Aberdeen)
Open Fiddle Groups – Lesmahagow Quaich
1) Deeside Loons & Quines
2)
3)
Youngest Girl Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Alice Girling (Glenfarg)
Youngest Boy Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Archie Mackechnie (Dunblane)
In response to requests from several teachers, we re-banded the age limits for the polka and musette competitions and hopefully this will lead to a sustained increase in entries in future years.
Provost Pat Reid, of Falkirk Council, kindly donated a trophy to the Festival, having been extremely impressed on his first visit last year. To try to bring something a wee bit different to the Festival we introduced an Accordion Showband section for ‘The Provost’s cup’ and it was certainly one of the big talking points of this year’s Festival. Although we only had one entry, The Keith Dickson Accordion Showband, comprising of 19 musicians and vocalists under the age of 18, they gave a fantastic performance. Having got this section up and running, hopefully it will flourish and attract more entries next year.
We changed the timing of this year’s concert, in order to try to attract a bigger crowd and to prevent some of the young prize winners having to stay so late. The concert commenced with one of the day’s adjudicators, Liam Stewart, showcasing the LIMEX MIDI system and we are extremely grateful to Roy Hendrie and LIMEX for donating two £250 vouchers towards the cost of a LIMEX system, and these were awarded to the overall Junior and Senior Accordion Champions.
As always, we were delighted to have Jennifer Cruickshank and her team from BBC Radio Scotland in attendance, and I know she was extremely pleased with the quality of recordings obtained from both the Concert and the competitions.
With the concert finished earlier than normal, everyone had a wee bit more time to enjoy their evening meal before the fantastic sound of Tom Orr and his Band gave us a dance to remember. It was great to see so many youngsters at the dance this year and the floor was pretty much full from start to finish. For me, Tom Orr epitomizes what the Festival is all about, having started as a young solo competitor before going on to win all the major honours (several times over in some cases) and now establishing himself as one of the country’s top bandleaders.
Inshyra has been booked to host the Festival on Saturday 1st March 2014 and this will be our 40th festival. We would be pleased to hear any ideas on how you would like to see this milestone celebrated. We’d like to do something special without taking away the core features of the Festival.
As always, I’d like to finish by expressing my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported the Festival this year. This includes all the competitors, teachers, helpers, adjudicators, BBC Radio Scotland, traders, advertisers, member clubs and enthusiasts. Special mention once again goes to Eleanor and John Bond of Ayr and Billy Hutton of Campsie, not forgetting the Festival Committee for their magnificent support this year.
Junior Accordion
Under 10 Traditional Accordion Solo – Islesteps Shield
1)
2)
3)
Under 12 Traditional Accordion Solo – Pentland Cup
1)
2)
3)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Accordion Solo – Jim Johnstone Cup
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
12 and Under 16 Traditional Accordion Solo – James Paterson Memorial Trophy
Most Promising Player
Ciorstaidh-Sarah Chaimbeul
Junior Accordion Solo Pipe Music – Bill Black Cup
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
Junior Traditional Duet – Angus Howie Cups
1) Magnus & Anna Westwell (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Overall Junior Accordion Champion – Alex Little Memorial Trophy
Adam Gibb (Biggar)
Senior Accordion
Senior Traditional Accordion Solo – Clinkscale Cup
1) Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Senior Accordion Pipe Music Solo – Bill Powrie Memorial Cup
1) Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Open Accordion Championship – Todhills Trophy
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
Senior Overall Accordion Champion - The Bobby MacLeod Trophy
Matthew MacLennan (Edinburgh)
Open Buttonkey Accordion Solo – Windygates Trophy
1) Brandon McPhee (Caithness)
2)
3)
Trios – Jimmy Blue Trophy & Eric Goodfellow Memorial Shield
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
Trio Runners-Up – Eric Goodfellow Memorial Shield
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Trios – Best Piano Player – David Flockhart Shield
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Bands – Overall Winner - Iain MacPhail Cup
John Burns (Falkirk)
Runners Up John Fairbairn Memorial Trophy
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Band – Rhythm Section - Arthur Easson Memorial Trophy
Callum Cruickshank (Lumphanan)
Junior Band – Duncan Campbell of Oban Memorial Trophy
Campbell Fleming & Ewan Dowie
Own Composition – Willie Wilson Cup
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
RSCDS Open Dance – RSCDS Trophy
1) Shona MacFadyen (West Kilbride)
2)
Accordion Showband – Provost’s Cup
1) Keith Dickson Accordion Showband
Under 12 Classical Solo – Kelso Cup
1) No entry
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Solo – Dundee Shield
1) Emma Dickson (Dolphinton)
2)
3)
Open Classical Solo – Jimmy Clinkscale Shield
1) Sarah Alexander (Buckie)
2)
3)
Under 13 Classical Duet – Beith & District A&F Club Cups (Willie Wilson Memorial Trophies)
1) Kyle and Alan Rowan (Edinburgh)
2)
Under 16 Classical Duet - Alex MacArthur Cups
1) Ellie Borthwick (Newtongrange) & Katie Todd (Dalkeith)
2)
3)
Open Classical Duet – Dunfermline Cup
1) Duncan Muir (Thornhill) & Claire Black (Biggar)
2)
3)
Classical Polka
Under 10 Classical Polka Solo – The Todhills Trophy
1)
2)
Under 12 Classical Polka Solo – Newtongrange Shield
1) Cameron McLaren (Cupar)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Polka Solo – Aberdeen Cup
1) Alex Stewart (Stanley)
2)
3)
Open Classical Polka Solo – Tign-Na-Gorm Cup
1) Leonard Brown (South Shiels)
2)
3)
Under 12 Classical Musette Accordion Solo – John Laidlaw Memorial Trophy
1) Andrew Erskine (Biggar)
2)
3)
Under 16 Classical Musette Solo – George & Margaret Smith (Newtongrange) Shield
1) Adam Gibb (Biggar)
2)
3)
Open Classical Musette Accordion Solo – Christine Hunter Memorial Trophy
1) Paul Capaldi (Galashiels)
2)
3)
Fiddle Sections
Under 12 Fiddle Solo – NAAFC Musselburgh Festival Trophy
1) Anna Westwell (Edinburgh)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – MSR – Strathspey and Reel Association Cup & Kirsy’s Ceilidh Shield
1) Hannah Renton (Aberdeen)
2)
3)
Junior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Dougie Welsh Memorial Cup
1) Eilidh MacLeod (Stornoway)
2)
3)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Strathspey, MSR – St. Boswell Cup
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Senior Fiddle Solo – Slow Air – Ron Gonella Cup
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Open Fiddle Championship – Banchory S&R Society Trophy
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Open Fiddle Solo Hornpipe and Jig – John Ellis Trophy
1) Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
2)
3)
Overall Fiddle Champion - The Angus Fitchet Trophy
Maggie Adamson (Shetland)
Overall Junior Fiddle Champion – Judith Linton Trophy
Hannah Renton (Aberdeen)
Open Fiddle Groups – Lesmahagow Quaich
1) Deeside Loons & Quines
2)
3)
Youngest Girl Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Alice Girling (Glenfarg)
Youngest Boy Competitor – John McQueen Medal
Archie Mackechnie (Dunblane)