As part of Absolute Classics’ 2019 Festival, we provided local young musicians with the opportunity to perform as part of a professional recital on a world-class stage.

Performing is an important part of musicianship and there are very few opportunities for young people to experience what it is like to work with an accompanist they don’t know and to take part in a professional concert. Our Young People’s Recital is designed to provide local young people of Dumfries & Galloway with exactly this opportunity, but in a positive and supportive environment.

For the first time this year, we promoted our Young People’s Recital alongside our international artists’ concerts as a ticketed event – which was sold out. We also asked the young people to provide us with their programme in advance and offered them a fee for their performance. This supported these emerging young musicians to approach this concert as any professional musician would, and to strive for excellence.

Please click below to view a short video of the recital

The following feedback from one of the young musician’s parents shows how important and beneficial these performance opportunities are:

“Alongside the masterclass, for the first time this year Will was asked to play in the Dumfries and Galloway Young Musicians’ Recital with Katharine Durran on the piano, in Thornhill on August the 10th. This was a great chance to play in a professional concert, alongside the best young local musicians and also with an excellent pianist. Will was most fortunate as he performed two pieces as part of a quartet, then he got his own turn and played an accompanied cello piece and finally a solo cello piece. Whilst Will has played in concerts at School, in the Church and at local Music Festivals I feel that he’s never had the opportunity to play on the same stage as such talented young musicians and also to such a knowledgeable audience. Will received a lot of praise from various audience members post-concert which he found very encouraging and gives some justification for all of the practice he puts in. It is now also an experience from which Will can draw upon for future concerts and performances and from which to develop.”