ON the penultimate day of a musical festival showcasing top young talent, it was the time for vocalists to shine.

Yesterday, the South Cumbria Musical Festival was devoted to young singers and choirs.
Powerful voices echoed throughout Ulverston's Coronation Hall during the afternoon session. As has so often been the case during the festival, the sheer range of pieces performed was impressive to behold.

Songs from Let's Go Fly a Kite from the film Mary Poppins were equally at home next to compositions by Handel, Simon and Garfunkel, and even a song from Disney film, The Little Mermaid .

The organising committee was proud to welcome back adjudicator Marilynne Davies, who is a regular visitor to the festival.

The festival has been very well supported this year and the quality of performance has been viewed as exceptional by all those involved.

Performers Faye Bowness and Rebecca Chandler received a distinction in the duet class for their rendition of Silent Worship by Handel.

Ms Davies was very encouraging and gave the competitors lots of positive advice on presentation and singing technique. Helping children improve their art through the instruction of the adjudicators is one of the key factors of the festival.

The school choir classes were held in the evening, and competitors included Year Two from Chapel Street Infants & Nursery School, Dalton; Millom Infant School ‘Bluebirds’; St James' Catholic Primary School, Millom; Cambridge School, Barrow; Askam Village School Choir; and St Mary’s

School Choir, Ulverston.

The highest mark of the evening (171) went to St James' Catholic Primary School for three of their classes, and to Dalton St Mary’s Performing Arts Club.

Ms Davies told the audience that we were very fortunate in this area to have so many school choirs entering the festival.

The Forge Europa Shield & Bursary was awarded to St James' Catholic School.

The festival will conclude tomorrow with a spectacular gala performance at the Coronation Hall. Tickets are available from the hall's box office.

Catch up with what happened on Tuesday and Wednesday of the Musical Festival.