Wind orchestra strikes gold
TALENTED young musicians from Inverclyde blew judges away at a national competition and scooped a gold award.
Inverclyde Schools' Junior Wind Orchestra won the top prize at the Scottish Concert Band Festival National Finals 2025 on Saturday 15 March at Perth Concert Hall.
A total of 45 young woodwind, brass and percussion pupils from P6 to S4 in schools across Inverclyde took part having qualified at the regional heat in December.
They performed ‘Armada’ by Victor Lopez and ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked and ‘African Adventure’ by Robert Sheldon, under the guidance of conductor Victoria Douglas.
The Junior Wind Orchestra is the intermediate band of Inverclyde Council’s music service between Training Band for new beginners and Senior Wind Orchestra for more advanced secondary school pupils.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our Junior Wind Orchestra and huge congratulations to them.
“It’s also a feather in the cap for our dedicated music instructors who work closely with our young people and help them hone their musical skills.
“They have flown the flag for themselves, their schools, and Inverclyde at a national level and competed against the best in the country for which they all should be immensely proud.”
It was an early start for the pupils on the day of the competition with an 8am rehearsal at Inverclyde Academy before heading to Perth by coach.
A large numbers or parents, families and supporters also travelled to watch performances in one of Scotland's most prestigious venues, which boasts one of the best acoustically acclaimed auditoriums in Europe.
The adjudicators on the day noted that the Junior Wind Orchestra gave a ‘sensitive performance demonstrating some excellent phrasing and expression’ and that there was a ‘very good range of articulation displayed across the entire band’.
.jpeg)
Conductor Victoria Douglas said: “Playing in a band such as this is a fantastic development opportunity for our young people.
“It gives them the opportunity to thrive under the tuition, care, support and encouragement of Inverclyde Music Service.
“We are thankful to parents and carers for their relentless support and commitment.
“I am incredibly proud of Junior Wind Orchestra’s performance in Perth and can't wait to see what they as individuals go on to achieve given these incredibly influential formative experiences.
“Long may the importance of music education in Inverclyde, and throughout the country, continue to be recognised in this way.”
Inverclyde Music Services Gala Concert takes place on Thursday 27 March 2025 at Greenock Town Hall in which all of the Inverclyde ensembles and choirs will perform.
Tickets are available from the Beacon Arts Centre website or via the link in the Other Websites section of this page.