A popular and historic Huddersfield music festival has been hailed for its forward-thinking and friendliness.
And the adjudicator for the Haydn Wood event likened performance standards to “being at a concert.”
“There is clearly some excellent teaching going on in this area,” said Marilynne Davies as the two-day festival wound up with a special finale – a concert of prizewinners in the presence of Kirklees Mayor, Clr Paul Kane, ward councillors, donors of trophies and Friends of the festival.
Mrs Davies, from Harrogate, said: “This friendly and supportive festival has been a joy and delight to adjudicate. The welcome has been amazing.”
She made special mention of accompanists Sue Christie and Kim Kaye and the musical maturity of the young performers.
“The standard of performance has been very good indeed,” she said.
Mrs Davies praised the festival for being outward-looking, not afraid to try new things and move with the times and needs of the performers. She said the recital class, started since she last adjudicated in Linthwaite, was ‘like being at a concert’.
The Haydn Wood Trophy for highest marks as a young person living in the old Urban District of Colne Valley was won by Imogen Davey of Marsden.
The Kirklees Leisure Services Trophy, for overall highest mark, was also won by Imogen.
Festival chairman Margaret Fearnley thanked Mrs Davies and all those who had contributed to the event. Next year’s festival, the 57th, will be on November 18 and 19 at Linthwaite Methodist Church Centre. Adjudicator will be Dr Vivien Pike from Sheffield.
The former Colne Valley council set up the festival in 1960 to commemorate famous Slaithwaite musician Haydn Wood.
The competition was held for many years at Colne Valley High School and obviously drew most of its competitors from the school, the ruling being that the festival was open to children between the ages of nine and 18 residing in the Colne Valley.
The Recital Class, which this year was won by Issy Haley-Porteous, from Halifax, will once again give a £100 prize and engraved medal to the winner and £50 for second place.
Trophy winners were: Imogen Davey, Alice Baxter, Edith Berryman, Grace Turner, The Mount School, Hannah Schofield-Lea, Huddersfield Suzuki Juniors, Madeleine North, James Fitzsimons, Sherwyn Sarabi, Xianna Harron and Sophie Lockwood and Isobel Netherwood.
