Festivalfor Young Musicians

Tomorrow's Aaron Monteverde, Andrea Martin, Elie Massias, Karel Chichon and Nathan Payas — that's the kind of musical talent and more which Allegro Music Productions is aiming to scout in the second edition of the Gibraltar Festival for Young Musicians.

The Fesitival is as sociated with the Brit ish and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech, under the pa tronage of Gibraltar's most eminent musical ambassador, Albert Hammond.

"I'm honoured to be the Patron of this association. Music has been my life and I have no regrets. It's been a very fulfilling and rewarding experience. My advice to you all is to hang on in there! Persevere and work hard — it's not easy I know, but you must give it your full commitment.You'll see how it's worth it in the end and fame and fortune has nothing to do with it!" That is the message Albert Hammond sent to all participants on the occasion of the initiative's launch last year.

Albert also donated the shield which the adjudicator will award to one school each year(St Martin's Special School Choir is the current holder),on the basis of outstanding merit of a soloist, choir or ensemble in the non-competitive section.

"Having grown up in Gibraltar," he continued "1 guess I heard more music maybe than if I'd grown up in London. Probably in London I would have heard one kind of mu sic only, but in Gibraltar you heard everything from flamenco to Arabic to Mexican to R'n' B to rock to pop to... So 1 would imagine Gibraltar is an influence in my life."

Music schoolteachers Wayne Smith and Cathy Batchelor,respec tively chairman/music director and vice-chair/administrator, are organising a gala concert on 22nd November at the John Mackin tosh Theatre, hosted by Allegro's president, former GBC presenter and musical pundit Richard Cartwright.Some finalists will perform their pieces and trophies will be presented to the most promising musicians in different categories.

The concert, open to the general public for a £6 entry fee, will also be a platform for non-comf)etitive pieces,including original composi- tions, choirs and ensembles.

Prior to the gala night, pre-selections will be held on 10th, 11th and 12th November — open to the general public, although more oriented to an audience of parents and teachers — for each musical class and age group.

And they are aplenty!

In fact, the event will tune in the budding voices and instruments of children from age five, as the first category is open to school year 3 and under, up to adult perform ers, as long they haven't studied or aren't studying music atany college or university.

There's also a time limit, to guarantee equal exposure and fair judgement, from two minutes for the Infants up to ten minutes al located to Choirs.

All non-competitive participants will receive a certificate and in the competitive section a number of bursaries to cover one year student tuition fees are also at stake for the most promising performers.

Last year's adjudi cator, Andrew Hansford, said of the per formers: "It has been a real privilege and pleasure to have adju dicated here in Gibral tar for the very first Gibraltar Festival for Young Musicians 2005 — the standard has been very good,dem onstrating a wealth of musical talent and commitment.,.."

This year, the com petitive section will be adjudicated by an other authority in the field: clarinettist Paul Harris, an examiner, adjudicator and judge for the BBC Young Musician of the Year and the Classic FM Teacher of the Year. He will also be giving music workshops for the children as well as a teacher's seminar.

The most appealing categories for the general audience are the ones the programme defines 'spe cialist classes':jazz solo, adult choir and church choir,all genres that are enjoying a wonderful renaissance in Gibraltar.

Other classes are brass, wind, re corder, guitar,string, vocal(soloists and ensembles).

With all performers receiving a technical assessment, the festival is a unique occasion for young musicians to overcome their stage fright, measure up to others and learn from them, gain self-esteem and understand the full potential of their artistic gift — showcasing their talent with the hope of being given the opportunity of taking it to the next level.

It isn't a classic battle of the bands pop style, nevertheless pop tunes are allowed, and entrants are all exhorted to dress up to their piece because not only the mere performance,but the whole act will be judged and graded — so if it is piano you're playing, throw in for good measure a little of Mozart's boy genius attitude!

Forfurther information, e-mail Al legro Music Productions at: gibjym® holmail.com or visit their ivebsite at: imvw.gibfym.com.

This family of plants is generally ignored by most people as grasses do not have colourful,showy flow ers. In fact they do have flowers although these are usually very small and do not have petals. The colourful petalsofother flowers are there to attract pollinating insects; grasses do not need them as they are wind-pollinated.The grass fam ily is economically the most impor tant family in the plant kingdom as they produce all the cereals: wheat, maize, rice, barley, oats, rye, millet, sugar cane,sorghum.Locally there are 56 different species. Here are some of them.

The giant reed or cane {Arundo doiiax) is the largest of the family represented in Gibraltar. Most peo ple would not realise that this is in fact a grass. These plants can grow up to6 metres tall,and the feathery plumes formed by the flowers are quite attractive. These plants grow where there is some source of water underground.Here they are mainly found around the North Front, but they can be seen all round the Rock. The stout stems have traditionally been used as broom handles.

There are two species of wild oat growing in Gibraltar. The largest is the animated oat(Avena steriiis).

These plants can grew up to6 metres tall, and

These plants can reach a height of 1.5 metres, and the drooping flowering panicle give the plant a rather elegant appearance. These plants are quite common through out Gibraltar.

The large quaking grass (Briza maxima)is perhaps the most attrac tive of the grasses. The spikelets that form the flowering heads are 1 to 2 cm long, and look like paper lanterns.They are suspended from very slender stalks, and the slight est breeze makes them tremble. These plants are not very common. They are only found on the Upper RcKk.

One of the most common of grasses is the wall barley(Hordeum leporinum). This is found growing all around Gibraltar, including coastal areas. The flowering spikes are between 5 and 10 cm long, and have been used traditionally by kids as arrows that stick to wool len clothes.

Hyparrhenia {Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. villosa) is another common species. These can be found all round the Rock. They form at tractive, golden coloured clumps, reaching a height of 1.2 metres.The flowers are softly hairy.

Arguably the grass that most people will be familiar with is the hare's tail {Lagurus ovatus). The