The 27 schools taking part in yesterday’s Festival of Music had a large and responsive audience for their well drilled and smoothly presented music making.
The Northlea Pipe Band marched through the City Hall to open the concert with a splendid fanfare.
This also gave a clear answer to the old question whether the bagpipe is a weapon of defence or of attack. At close quarters it is devastating.
The massed choirs coordinated well, in fact better than the senior and intermediate choirs who sang rather timidly, and who disagreed among themselves about the pitch of “Drink to me Only”.
Several instrumental groups, including recorders, chime bars, glockenspiele and an orchestra from Hamilton sounded well rehearsed.
The chime bar players from King George VI School received special applause.
Especially enjoyable were the Junior Choir’s antiphonal effects in “The Keeper”, though the children did not always watch the conductor closely enough for their cues, an Indian Folk Dance from Robert Tredgold School, and the sight of the infants in the convent School percussion group earnestly intent on getting their plinks and plonks in the right places.