SCORES of talented musicians took to the stage ready for their chance to shine as day three of a renowned festival of music kicked off.

The South Cumbria Musical Festival welcomed more than 60 promising pianists to its grand stage in the Coronation Hall, Ulverston, for what proved to be a day of gorgeous musical recitals and inspirational performances from pupils from across South Cumbria.

Competitors took to the stage from 9am in a bid to showcase their prowess in tinkling the ivories and mastering pieces from centuries gone by as well as showing off some skills in the contemporary category.

Works from classical masters such as Verdi, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven proved popular choices with the young musicians as well as some quirky choices making an appearance.

Barrow pupil Wilson Bartlett performed a memorable solo in the Liz Waller Cup class award, dazzling the audience with his rendition of The Simpsons theme tune and Pravnav Singh entertained his listeners with his performance of Bow Chicka Wow Wow in the Mabel Hargreaves class award.

The adjudicator for the day was Margaret Murray-McLeod, a former student at the Royal Academy of Music and accomplished pianist who was awarded the Scott Huxley Prize for piano accompaniment.

Grange schoolboys Edmund and Edwin Hui took to the stage a number of times throughout the day, performing classics by Mozart, SM Maykapar and O Merikanto.

Broughton schoolgirl Jessica Hartley was thrilled when she scooped the Muriel Dixon award for her piano solo, Allegretto by Vanhal.

The day followed on from Monday's success, when dozens of budding thespians took to the stage performing poems and monologues for adjudicator Ann Newson on her first visit to the festival.

Festival organisers thanked local schools for their support, saying they appreciated all the extra work put in.

Nathan Powell, from Barrow was given the highest mark of the day scoring a 96 in the Acted Dramatisation of a single character for the class of school years 10-13.

His Own Choice piece was ‘Karamazoo’by PhilipRadley.

The Patrick Croskery Award for Meritorious speech was awarded to Erika Fayyazi-Mickle from Barrow and the Julie Willis Bursary of £75 was awarded to Isla Smith from Dalton.

Nathan Powell was awarded the Soroptomists International Shield & Bursary of £50.

A statement issued from the organisers said: "The Adjudicator was impressed by the standard of performance and the enthusiasm of the young people taking part.

"Ms Newson enjoyed her time with us and provided helpful suggestions and encouragement to all the performers."

Jessica Ward, Dalton-in-Furness

POETRY - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 2

SCMF Shield

Hanying Gu, Barrow-in-Furness

Poppy Sargeant, Dalton-in-Furness

Eben O'Brien, Millom

POETRY - SCHOOL YEAR 3

The First Advertiser Shield

Isabell Jordan, Millom

Luca Iacono, Millom

Elizabeth Knott, Dalton-in-Furness

Amelia Thompson, Broughton-in-Furness

POETRY - SCHOOL YEAR 4

The SCMF Mini Langdale Cup

Otelia Taylor, Barrow-in-Furness

Isabella Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness

Jessica Milner, Barrow-in-Furness

Annabelle Braithwaite, Barrow-in-Furness

Isla Smith, Dalton-in-Furness

POETRY - SCHOOL YEAR 5

The SCMF Buttermere Shield

Nathan Lee-Cheong, Barrow-in-Furness

Oliver Pearson, Flookburgh

Holly Heffernan, Ulverston

WRITE AND RECITE - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

The Bill Shaw Great Gable Cup

Eden Moffatt, Ulverston

James Rafferty, Dalton-in-Furness

PREPARED BIBLE READING - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

The Miriam Townson Cup

Samuel Knott, Dalton-in-Furness

Connor Smith, Dalton-in-Furness

Hitanshi Manoharan, Barrow-in-Furness

PREPARED READING - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

The New Westmorland Gazette Shield

Phoebe Lever, Barrow-in-Furness

POETRY - SCHOOL YEAR 6

SCMF Cup

Jessica Marshall, Barrow-in-Furness

Daisy Parsons, Broughton-in-Furness

Holly Heffernan, Ulverston

Lillie Johnson, Broughton-in-Furness

Iona Harvey, Barrow-in-Furness

Phoebe Lever, Barrow-in-Furness

ACTED DRAMATISATION (SINGLE CHARACTER) - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

SCMF Cup

Lana Hamilton, Dalton-in-Furness

Zofia Garbacz, Barrow-in-Furness

Subhash Chatterjee, Barrow-in-Furness

POETRY - SCHOOL YEARS 7- 9 INCLUSIVE

The SCMF Keats Award

Aman Kshetrapal, Barrow-in-Furness

Shubham Kukreti, Barrow-in-Furness

Erika Fayyazi-Mickle, Barrow-in-Furness

WRITE AND RECITE - SCHOOL YEARS 7- 9 INCLUSIVE

The Bill Shaw Helvellyn Cup

Adrian Lee-Cheong, Barrow-in-Furness

PREPARED BIBLE READING - SCHOOL YEARS 7- 9 INCLUSIVE

SCMF Fluted Cup

Aman Kshetrapal, Barrow-in-Furness

PREPARED READING - SCHOOL YEARS 7- 9 INCLUSIVE

The SCMF Bronte Award

Nathan Powell, Barrow-in-Furness

ACTED DRAMATISATION (SINGLE CHARACTER) - SCHOOL YEARS 10-13 INCLUSIVE

The SCMF Evans Cup

Nathan Powell, Barrow-in-Furness

SHAKESPEARE CLASS - SCHOOL YEARS 10-13 INCLUSIVE

The SCMF Tennyson Award

Aurora Park, Penny Bridge

Dalton St. Mary's Primary School, Dalton-in-Furness

CHORAL SPEAKING - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

The Heather J Stenhouse Shield

Sir John Barrow School, Ulverston

CHORIC SPEAKING - UP TO AND INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR 6

The Barbara Wrigley Cup

Nathan Powell, Barrow-in-Furness

THE SOROPTIMISTS INTERNATIONAL OF GRANGE-OVER-SANDS BURSARY FOR SPEECH

The Barrow Soroptimists Speech Shield

Erika Fayyazi-Mickle, Barrow-in-Furness

THE PATRICK CROSKERY SHIELD FOR SPEECH

The Patrick Croskery Shield for Speech

Isla Smith, Dalton-in-Furness

THE JULIE WILLS SPEECH BURSARY

SCMF Cup