THE Aldridge Theatre of Frensham Heights School was the venue for the 37th Competitive Music Festival Concert.

The concert was opened by the Amery School Choir with a confident and enjoyable rendition of This little light of mine.

Directed by Debra Mulligan, this choir received The Mary Joynes Memorial Choral Award from the Mayor of Farnham, Pat Frost, chairman of the festival.

Rose-Marie Moncrieff played the traditional Scottish ballad, The Skye Boat Song on the cornet.

Alison Blenkinsop, her accompanist was delighted to present Rose-Marie with the Tony Blenkinsop Award, an award given in memory of her late husband.

Grieg’s piano solo To Spring Op. 43 No. 6 was then performed by Scarlett Brandman, winner of the Peckham Memorial Award.

Hannah Bradley’s choice of Per La Glora D’adoravi by Bononcini introduced the winner of the Intermediate Tilford Bach Baroque Award, the young soprano Hannah Wardrop.

The next piano soloist and a winner of the Peckham Memorial Award was Helena Michels playing one of Debussy’s Preludes, Ondine from his second Book of Preludes.

Antonia Richards, one of the two winners of a Senior Tilford Bach Baroque Award then sang the aria Batti, Batti from the opera Don Giovanni by Mozart.

A spirited rendition of More Brothers was performed by D. Lamont on the saxophone and played by Charlie Rothwell, the winner of the Intermediate Recital for Woodwind and Brass.

After the interval Chiddingfold Flute Ensemble directed by Lucy Hatcher entertained the audience to a very interesting arrangement of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

A bassoon solo, the Rondo from 2 Simple Pieces by Ivor Foster was played by Zoe Owlett and Rosie Sutton, winner of the Farnham Lions’ Award. The winner of The Sheila Armstrong Cup for the Most Promising Young Singer was Holly Graham and Zach Brandman won the Intermediate Recital Class in the Piano Section.

The audience was treated to performances by the four holders of the prestigious Young Musician Awards, one from each of the sections.

The Mayor of Farnham, Pat Frost, thanked all the performers and their teachers, remarking how impressed she was with the high standard achieved overall.

She also observed that she found the steady increase in entries for the festival very encouraging and thanked committee members for their dedicated approach in pursuing this aim, in particular Jia Doulton.

Her help, said councillor Frost together with that of Richard Wakelin-Harkett, the committee members and their volunteers was invaluable ensuring that all went according to plan for the concert as well.

A particular word of praise, richly deserved, was accorded Margaret Roberts for her fine and beautifully judged accompaniments, supporting each soloist to the full.

Finally Mrs Frost thanked the sponsors warmly for their generosity as well as that of Frensham Heights School, the venue for both the festival and the concert.