SOME of the region’s youngest pianists tinkled the ivories to praise and prizes yesterday.

Approximately 60 children from infant school age and above competed in a variety of classes including solos, duets and family duets at the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival, at Huddersfield Town Hall yesterday.

Mrs Sunderland committee chairman Michael Hampshire said: “The room has been absolutely packed with a great take-up from the youngsters.

“The standard has been very good.

“We go out of our way to make them feel comfortable and stop them feeling nervous. I don’t think we had any criers today!”

Winner of the piano solo – school year three and under was seven-year-old Isabelle Goddard, of Dalton.

Isabelle said: “I had a good time today and I was happy to win. I don’t think I was too nervous.”

The night before youngsters competed in a mixture of verse speaking, drama, Bible reading and Shakespeare.

Highlights included new adjudicator Stephen Owens, whose humour entertained the audience and Maddie Watkins, from Stage 84 theatre school, Bradford, who won the Dramatic Solo category with her reading of The Porridge Trauma Incident by Eleanor McCloud.

Mrs Sunderland committee member Andrea Hampshire said: “The audience thought Stephen was excellent. There were one or two outstanding drama performances and the Bible reading was very interesting. They were read beautifully and Bible reading is quite a technique in itself.”

RESULTS

Piano Duet: 1) Rachel Teale and Michael Gee

Piano solo music theatre and film: 1) Freya Smith 2) James Wake 3) Matthew Wake

Piano solo – sonata: 1) Faye Evans 2) Lydia Wyatt 3) Freya Smith

Piano Solo – 20th or 21st century: 1) Lydia Wyatt 2) Kailin Sun

Piano solo – Chopin: 1) Lydia Wyatt 2) Faye Evans 3) Beverley Beddow

Dramatic solo – school years 7-13: 1) Maddie Watkins 2) Eleanor Thurlbeck 3) Francesca Smith

Bible reading: 1) Ann Kendall 2=) Hilary Pollard 2=) Rita Chambers

Verse speaking: 1) Rak Verma

Prepared reading: 1) Kate Garner 2) Hilary Pollard

Shakespeare: 1) Bethany Grange 2=) Joseph Hick 2=) Maddie Watkins