Marking the end of its 100th anniversary year, the organisers of the Perthshire Music (Competition) Festival are sharing a treasure trove of photos and memories documenting the event’s rich history since its inception in 1921.
The centennial celebrations were launched last year with an exhibition of memorabilia and a concert series at St Matthew’s Church. They showcased the journey of the festival through the decades. Despite brief interruptions during World War II and the abrupt halt in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival has demonstrated incredible resilience. In a historic move, the 2021 festival was held online, streaming performances virtually and offering hope at a time when the nation was grappling with uncertainty.
Festival secretary, Mrs. Eileen Waterston, praised the local music community’s response to the 100 year celebrations: “Local music groups responded enthusiastically to our invitation to play in a series of short concerts. Members of Perth Symphony Orchestra, the Fair City Singers, Encore Choir, Perth, Fife and Stirling Rock Choirs, Morrisons Academy, Perth High School and Dollar Academy were followed by the Julie Young Dancers and Singers, the Jambouree Choir, Perth Amateur Operatic Society, Grazyna Młynarczyk’s Music Students and the Singing Angels from St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Craigie.”
“Their performances showcased the enduring legacy of those who have worked tirelessly to ensure the future of Perform in Perth. Now we have captured it all in a new publication – ‘From One Century to Another’. The title is a tribute to Elizabeth Haldane of Cloan, the Festival’s President from 1926 to 1937 whose publication with the same title not only charted own her remarkable life story but also recalled that the Festival’s foundation was meant to raise the spirits of the nation. That remains as important today as it was a century ago.”
The anniversary year also coincided with a significant honour – the receipt of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the group equivalent of an MBE, awarded to the association’s volunteers in 2023 for their remarkable contributions to the festival.
As these celebrations draw to a close, Perform in Perth is re-staging its Centenary Exhibition, but on this occasion at the St John’s Shopping Centre in Perth.
It will run from 31st October to 17th November, 10 am–4:30 pm (Sundays 11 am–4 pm). This exhibition will highlight the festival’s history, while also marking the publication of a commemorative book, priced at £10, capturing memories, photos, and stories of the local musicians who have shaped its success.
The book is available online at www.perthshire-music-festival.org.uk and at the Perform in Perth shop in St John’s Centre.
The Syllabus for Perform in Perth 2025 will also be available at the St John’s Centre exhibition as well as at Concorde Music Shop and the Perth Trophy Shop, Canal Street.
