Young Musician

Young Musician 2026

The Rotary Young Musician competition local heat was held successfully on the 28th October. It was hosted by OHS on behalf of the club, with 17 competitors. The 8 juniors and 9 seniors who participated demonstrated a range of instruments and vocalists with excellence and professionalism. Their talents shone through.

Junior

1st - Ruaraidh Douglas -Euphonium

2nd - Julia Kowalska - Vocalist

3rd - Ann Kamensky -Flute

Senior

Joint 1st

Isaac Charlton - Vocalist

Alasdair Bullock -Bagpipes

2nd - Hannah Nicholson -Violin

3rd - Eva MacCallum -Vocalist

Huge congratulations to all on their success, and best-wishes for the future.

Pictured: Rotary President Eddie Thornton presenting the Joint first place winners Isaac Charlton and Alasdair Bullock with onlooking participant support.

The Rotary club extends a big thanks goes to Georgina Pryde-Fermin of OHS who made the whole night a success with the work she put in. Additional thanks to our two adjudicators who had a very difficult task to decide the winners. Each and every participant demonstrated bravery and composure, what a feat to put ones talent out for others to see.

Oban High School can’t be thanked enough for all their help.

A final note, we wish Isaac and Alasdair every success for their participation in the Rotary Young Musician District competition which will to be held on the 14th February 2027 in The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow.

Young Musician of the Year 2024

The Rotary Club of Oban held its local heat of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year in the Parish Church on Tuesday evening. Competing were 7 Young Musicians; Owen Stevenson on accordion, Chis MacLaurin on electric guitar, Ben Docherty on bagpipes, Lily Robertson on vocals, Eva MacCallum on vocals, Millie Bonniewell on vocals and Alisdair Bullock on bagpipes.

Pres Peter, Owen, Chis , Ben, Alisdair, Eva, Lily, Millie , judges Katy and Kathryne with Dot at the end.

Winner, in a close run contest, was piper Alistair Bullock and the runner-up was Lily Robertson.

Alistair won with a wide range of tunes including Pibroch and a tune he wrote himself. Both young people will go through to the next regional round of the competition in the new year.

President Peter Tosh presented the prizes, Rotarian Dot Dahl gave the vote of thanks and Past President Ciorsti Baxter compared the evening.

A special thanks to Minister Alex MacCallum for opening up the Church for us to provide such a magnificent venue, to our two expert judges, Kathryne Wilkie and Katy Cameron, the audience who turned up to support the event and not least to all the competitors who did so well.

Young Musician 2019

The Rotary Club of Oban's Young Musician of the year was Anna Tait-Westwell. Anna is a very accomplished young musician, especially for a person of such a young age and will no doubt go on to be a hugely successful musician. The Rotary Club of Oban are delighted to support Ann and have her as our Young Musician for this Year.

Our picture shows Anna with President Douglas Small and Rotarian Dave Waltho (Youth Convenor).

Anna already has an impressive CV and is clearly a truly gifted talent.

Anna has won the Clarsach recital 3 times at the Royal National Mod
She has won the harp medal at the Edinburgh Competition Festival
She performs every year at the Highlands & Islands Music Festival – she has won Clarsach Recital, Piano Grade 4& 5 as well as Singing.
Anna has performed at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in the 100^th Anniversary Concert for the Clarsach Society.
Anna had a composition published in the Wild Strings Jazz harp collection after winning a composition competition.
Anna started playing the fiddle aged 4 and the Clarsach aged 7.
She has a growing interest in the Paraguayan Harp – which she is learning to master.

We all wish Anna a fun year ahead as our Young Musician of the Year.

Young Musician 2018

Oban Rotary's "Young Musician of the Year" for 2018 was Neil McCracken, a 15 year old student at Oban High School who specialises on the piano but is also a gifted saxophone player.

Young Neil entertained members and quests with his piano renditions to much applause at Oban Rotary's recent annual Charter Dinner, which event also raises funds for local charities. Neil has gone on from these events to be chosen as pianist for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland for their 2019 Summer Tour. This involves a week's preparation at Sabhal Mor Ostaig in Skye and thereafter playing in Glasgow and Belfast plus other venues.

Although the bulk of Neil's costs are covered by the NYJOS Oban Rotary provided £250 towards the amount he has to raise and President Iain Mac Intyre is seenhere presenting a cheque for this amount to Neil in which Iain also expressed good wishes from all concerned in Oban for Neil's future. Also in the picture are Rotarians L-R Roger Parry, Kees Van Rein and Douglas Small.