From pipes to pianos and from bass drums to brass, there are many opportunities in the High Life Highland music service for young people to develop their musical talents. Some will enjoy learning, playing and performing just for fun, while many others go on to pursue professional musical careers.
For two former High Life Highland Young Musicians, they have done just that and have now found themselves back where they started – in the most positive of ways – hoping to inspire the Highland’s future musical maestros.
Tomas Leakey is the conductor of the Highland Regional Youth Orchestra at this years Highland Young Musicians Festival at Eden Court Theatre, which takes place next weekend (Saturday 22nd March). While still at school in Inverness, Tomas played the trombone and piano and was involved in three groups as a trombonist – the Highland Youth Big Band, Highland Youth Wind Band and the Highland Regional Youth Orchestra. For Tomas the experience with the orchestra was transformational, leading to him to eventually study at George Hurst’s summer school for conductors in Sherborne.
Since then he has established an Inverness-based orchestra the Mahler Players – which includes some Highland Young Musician Instructors – to bring more orchestral music to the Highlands.
For Tomas, this is his second time in such a pivotal role at the Highland Young Musicians Festival, and one which he is hugely privileged to take on.
“It feels like a big responsibility and particularly so as the current students have had a challenging time, having lost so many opportunities to make music in-person due to the school closures during the pandemic,” he said.
“Its effects for us are very much ongoing, because the pupils who are in the orchestra now missed out on face-to-face teaching at a key stage of their development and there is no substitute for that. So we’re working on a smaller scale than we were in the mid-2000s when I was a pupil, but I feel privileged to be involved with such a great team of Instructors and staff, all of whom are extremely committed to their pupils.”
From all things orchestral to the sound of Scotland – another former Highland Young Musician is returning to his roots. Fergus Bryce from Evanton is joining the High Life Highland Music Tuition service staff, sharing his knowledge and experience as an award winning pipe band drummer.
Fergus began his pipe band career with Ross and Cromarty Pipes and Drums School in 2015. At 17 he joined Glasgow Police Pipe Band and enjoyed both the 2017 and 2018 seasons there before joining Inveraray and District Pipe Band in August 2018 where he is currently the bass drummer. In his years at Inveraray, Fergus has enjoyed collecting multiple Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association major championship wins including the World Pipe Band Championships in the top competing grade in 2019 and 2024.
Fergus said: “I am delighted to be taking on this new role as a drumming instructor and really looking forward to working alongside the hugely experienced group of High Life Highland music instructors striving to produce greatness ‘up North’! It’s brilliant to be able to give something back after everything I have gained from being a Highland Young Musician.”
Drew Caldwell, one of High Life Highland’s Pipe Band drumming instructors commented: “We are delighted to have Fergus come on board. It’s always great to see ex pupils returning to the area and Fergus brings so much knowledge into the band and the pupils will benefit from his experiences.”
Norman Bolton, Head of Music Development at High Life Highland said: “I am always delighted to see our former pupils excel in their music careers but it gives me even greater pleasure when they want to come back and be part of our Highland Young Musicians family.”
You can catch the Mahler Players at Inverness Cathedral on Sunday 16th March, playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and two overtures by Weber. The concerts are at 4pm and again at 7pm. Find out more here: The Mahler Players – “Scotland’s best-kept musical secret”
