On Saturday 18th June, ten young singers from across Scotland will be competing for the title of ‘Highland Young Singer of Year 2005’. The competition, which takes place at Charleston Academy in Inverness and is open to the public, is the first of its kind in the Highlands and aims to encourage young singers to enjoy classical singing through competitive performance.

Each competitor will perform three pieces: an operatic aria, an art song and an item of their own choice. Their performances will be judged by a panel of music professionals from across Scotland. The adjudicators are Edward Barbieri, Master of Music at Inverness Cathedral and nationally recognised expert in choral music, Norman Bolton, Music Development Officer, Highland Council and Margaret Aronson, Lecturer in Singing, Vocal Studies Department, RSAMD (Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) in Glasgow.

The internationally acclaimed opera singer Janis Kelly is patron of the competition. Unfortunately she has a professional engagement that evening and will be unable to attend but she sent the following words of encouragement:

‘It is a privilege to be associated with such a worthy and worthwhile enterprise as a vocal competition for the Highlands of Scotland. It is terrific to have this as a focus encouraging entrants to achieve a high standard and also to let the public be aware of what talent there is.’

The competition is being organised by local singing group, voiceworks, a mixed voice (amateur) music group which performs concerts throughout the Inverness and Ross-shire area. It was the brainchild of voiceworks Musical Director Colin Lewis, a local singing teacher, who felt that young people needed a platform to perform classical music in the Highlands:

‘There are many excellent young classical singers in the Highlands, but few opportunities for them to perform as soloists. We hope that the Highland Young Singer of the Year Competition will present that opportunity and encourage others to get involved. It is intended that the competition will become an annual event and help put the Highlands on the map for classical as well as traditional music excellence’.

The competition will be held at Charleston Academy, General Booth Road, Inverness on Saturday 18th June. It starts at 2pm and the general public is very welcome to attend. Admission is by programme (£2).

For more information about the competition and voiceworks concerts contact: Colin Lewis on voiceworks02@aol.com  or 01862 832517