I wrote a letter to Mrs. Peacock, secretary of the Glasgow Music Festival, asking for information about the Festival. This was her reply

Paul Ross

St. Patrick's Primary, Kilsyth

Dear Paul,

 I really am replying as soon as possible:

 Glasgow Music Festivals was first held in 1911, one of the founder members being Sir Hugh Roberton, conductor of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. It is an annual event for performers in music, speech, drama and Scottish dancing. There continues to be a Roberton family connection with the Festival as Ian McIntyre, the Festival's current honorary president, is a grandson of Sir Hugh.

The Festivals has grown steadily in recent years. The 1998 Festival runs for two weeks in which some 4700 performers will take part in 150 hours of performances in nine halls. During the Festival, 54 choirs and 33 orchestras and bands will take part in addition to numerous smaller groups and soloists. Festival performers are amateurs and cover a wide range of ages, experience and abilities.

New events in 1998 include a Jazz Band evening which has proved very popular, with 7 bands taking part. There will also be an event featuring contemporary Scottish piano music. The music selected for 1998 is by Thomas Wilson and he will be on hand to provide the performer with advice and encouragement.

The Glasgow branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society has decided that its successful festival of 14 years' standing should from 1998 be part of Glasgow Music Festivals. There will be two sessions for schools and leisure groups.

On the drama side, there are new events for the performance of television scripts and of playlets.

The team of music adjudicators is led by Malcolm Tyler and comprises Jean Graham, Bill McCue (adult vocal solos), Thomas Wilson and Heather Yule (clarsach). The speech and drama adjudicators are Jenifer Pressdee, Adrienne Kerr and Sally McNair (of BBC Scotland). Scottish dancing will be adjudicated by Stanley Wilkie.

The object of the Festivals is to promote interest and participation in the performing arts. Performers can develop their skills by preparing for the Festival: by listening to and learning from others' performances: and by dance experts. In addition, they can benefit through meeting fellow participants and through rising to the challenges of competition for certificates, trophies and prizes.

The Festival is not just for "high flyers" although a number of performers from previous Glasgow Music Festivals are now professional musicians with flourishing international careers - Douglas Boyd, the oboist and Jamie MacDougall, the singer, for instance. For the majority of performers, however, speech, music and dancing remain worthwhile hobbies for life.

There are many Music Festivals in Scotland which are affiliated to the Federation of British Festivals for music, dance and speech. The nearest ones are East Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Inverclyde, and Ayr.

I am not sure whether our Festivals is the kind you have in mind in studying Scottish festivals, but I should be happy to help you further if you wish, and if I can.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Margaret Peacock