The Wharfedale Music Festival has drawn to a close after another successful year of competition.

However, the gala concert - the finale of the whole event - was poorly attended and festival secretary Liz Holbrook urged people to

support it next year.

She said: "We have the competitors and we have the staff - but we need more than this. Our richly talented performers need and deserve audiences. It was heartbreaking to see so few in the auditorium, especially on Gala Night.

"We all work so hard to bring this event, a major component of the Wharfedale cultural calendar, to fruition. We deserve a larger

audience."

Urging people to turn out next year, Miss Holbrook added: "I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Plans are already under way to bring you an even wider range of competitive classes, and yet another associated event to rival Wharfedale Music Festival Pop Star that is guaranteed to take Ilkley by storm."

She paid tribute to the people who had backed the event and those who had worked hard to ensure its success.

"I should like to pay tribute to the very many people who have helped to make this year's Wharfedale Music Festival one of the best and most successful in recent years," she said.

"There are so many different components all working together to create an event which is described by the British and International Federation of Music Festivals as the 'jewel in the crown of the Federation Festivals'.

"We are justly proud of this soubriquet, and of the many members of our team who have all helped us to earn it. All the platform,

adjudicators', house and box office stewards, the scribes and coffee makers, our 'in-house' caterers and the staff at the Christchurch Coffee Centre as well as the caretakers at the Kings Hall, Christchurch, All Saints and the Baptist Church who are all so welcoming and cannot do enough to help us, deserve the highest commendation for their support and commitment.

"Our accompanists, who work so hard for weeks beforehand practising 'own choices' and whose own performances are second to none, are stars in the Wharfedale firmament and only serve to enhance the fine reputation of the Wharfedale Music Festival. The stylish concert programmes produced at ultra-short notice by those lovely girls at React set the scene for a glittering Gala Concert at the conclusion of the sparkling week's events.

"To everyone who put themselves out in any way to 'oil the wheels' and ensure the smooth-running of the week's events, from the raffle ticket sellers to Leslie and Gerald, who kept the box-offices ticking over with fresh floats and ticket supplies; to our sponsors and

advertisers; to the ladies at the Tourist Information Centre and to Paul and Jim at the Ilkley Gazette for their enthusiastic support, not to mention everyone involved in our so-successful Pop Star competition, I should like to offer a huge thank you.

Miss Holbrook said the festival this year had been blessed by particularly strong support from Ilkley Parish Council, promoted almost entirely by the Chairman, Councillor Mike Gibbons and his Vice-Chairman, Heathcliffe Bowen.

"A thousand thanks are due to them for all their considerable input, not only in terms of sponsorship, but also in their nightly attendances, and much, much more besides," she said.

"We have also this year received major sponsorship from HSBC Bank and from the Craiglands Hotel, and their support is appreciated beyond all words. We owe them unbounded gratitude. Also to AA Piano Tuners for the restoration of the festival grand piano, which is now an instrument of unequalled excellence, and will hopefully remain so for many years to come."

For further information about the Wharfedale Music Festival, please contact the Secretary at any time on (01943) 872067.

l The Special Awards announced at the Gala Concert on Saturday are

Ella Crawshaw Memorial Fund: Lucy Rhodes

Henry Gill Memorial Trophy: Lucy Rhodes

HSBC Bank Rosebowl: David Hall

Geoffrey Ingle Trophy: Jonathan Tan

Mawson Memorial Trophy: Katrina Pickard

Hamilton Music Trophy: Ben Lloyd-Evans

Ashbrook Memorial Trophy: Eliot McGuire

YTV Premier Award (Music): Moorfield School Violin Group

Patricia Price Memorial Trophy: Joseph Fennerty

Edith Atkinson Trophy: Charlotte Dixon

YTV Premier Award: The Upstagers

Mary Kilduff Plate :Charlotte Dixon

Sylvia Greenwood Memorial Trophy: The Upstagers.

The rest of the festival results are as follows:

Tuesday Results

Class 33 Prepared prose reading: 11 years.

1 Joshua Hunt; 2 Lauren Uttley; 3 Lucy Stone.

Class 34 Prepared prose reading: 12 and 13 years. 1 Charlotte Dixon; 2 Hannah Ross; 3 Stephanie Bicker.

Sight reading; 1 Barbara Wensworth.

Mime solo: 13 years and under. 1 Laura Bradd; 2 Melissa Slater.

Mime solo: 12 years and under. 1 Kelsey Frampton; 2 Justine Wilkinson.

Bible reading: 14 years and under. 1 Sam Fisher; 2 Natalie Moody; 3 Sarah Lansdell.

Solo characterisation: 14 and 15 years. 1 Jessica Robinson.

Solo characterisation,16 years and over. 1 Sam Newsome.

Shakespeare. 1 Sam Newsome.

Wednesday Results

Verse speaking, nine years (a) 1 Ashleigh Firth; 2 Edward Mancey; Joint 3 William Petty /Michael Powell . (b) 1 Hannah Hirst.

Verse speaking, 10 years. (a). 1 Dominic Lane; 2 Daisy Hall; 3 Isabelle Ayers. (b) 1 Rebecca Grant; 2 Benjamin Blackburn; 3 Lorna O' Sullivan.

Verse speaking, 11 years old. 1 Kirsten Van Terheyden; 2 James Sebright; 3 Danny Elliott.

Dramatic scene, 12 years and under. 1 Amy Harvey, Julia Dixon, Harriet Stokes; 2 Katherine Pritchard and Francesca Scaife / Dominic and Alec Lane and Hannah Ellison.

Riddings Hall Results

Violin Solo, nine years and under. 1 John Chapman.

Recorder Groups, 11 years and under. 1 Moorfield School Recorder Group.

Mixed recorders and instrumental groups. 1 Moorfield School.

Small ensemble groups, 11 years and under. 1 Moorfield School Reed Group.

Instrumental groups, 11 years and under. 1 Moorfield School Violin Group.

Orchestras. 1 Silcoates Junior Orchestra.

Keyboard ensemble, 11 years and under. Westbourne Primary School, Manningham.

Instrumental solo with percussion accompaniment, seven to 10 years old. 1 Prabhjit Kaur Riat.

Percussion solo, seven to 10 years old. 1 Keertan Kaur Rehal.

Vocal Solo, classical, seven to 10 years old. 1 Sukhvinder Kaur Lall.

Instrumental solo with percussion accompaniment, 11 to 16 years old. 1 Amritpal Kaur Riat.

Instrumental solo, 17 to 21. 1 Surmeet Singh Dhadyalla.

Vocal solo, classical, 11 to 16 years. 1 Kaviraj Singh Dadhyalla; 2 Charanjit Kaur Rayat; 3 Amarjit Kaur Rayat.

Vocal solo. 1 Jasdeep Singh Degun; 2 Charanjit Kaur Rayat.

Small ensemble groups. 1 Valley Flutes Quartet Huddersfield.

Jazz group. 1 Guiseley Music Centre Jazz Band

Thursday - Riddings Hall

Handbell Groups, 16 years and under. 1 Otley Junior Bell Solo; 2 Otley Junior Bell Duet; Joint 3 Otley St Joseph's Bells and Chimes / Farnley School Handbells and Chimes.

Handbell groups. 1 Otley Bell Orchestra; 2 Clifton Handbell Ringers.

Treble recorder solo, 13 years and under. 1 Jonathan Briggs.

Classical guitar ensemble. 1 Malsis School; 2 Toby Carpenter, Laura Wilson andJoanna Durrans;

3 Moorfield School Guitar Ensemble.

Classical guitar solo, 12 years and under. 1 Sam Norton.

Classical guitar solo, 15 years and under. 1Toby Carpenter.

Solo for any brass instrument 17 years and under. 1 Jane Leah.

Solo for any brass instrument 13 years and under. 1 Laura Settle.

Recorder groups. 1, Scissett Middle School Recorder Group.

Saxaphone solo, 16 years and under. 1 Lloyd Almond; 2 Bryony Harrap.

Saxaphone solo. 1 Andrew Nelson.

Solo for any woodwind instrument, 17 years and under. 1 Helen Wilson; Joint 2 Jennifer Leeming and Joseph Fennerty.

Solo for any woodwind instrument. 1 Helen Wilson; 2 Andrew Nelson.

Friday - Christchurch

Vocal solo, 14 years and under. 1 Lucy Morton; 2 Lucy Clarke; 3 Rachel Crisp.

Victorian or Edwardian ballad. 1 Michael Kneale; 2 Joyce Ashton; 3 Maura Peake.

Folk song. 1 Jonathan Morrish; 2 Joyce Ashton; 3 Michael Kneale.

Folk song. 1 Michel Kneale; 2 Sophie Exley and Andrew Phillips.

Friday - Riddings Hall

Vocal solo, nine years and under. 1 Ann Wilkes; 2 Sophie Adams; 3 Rachel Paley.

Vocal solo over 60s. 1 Joyce Ashton;

Rock and pop groups 18 years and under. 1 Bearfootin'.

Vocal solo, 11 years and under. 1 Ann Wilkes; 2 Kirsten van Terheyden; Joint 3 Lucy Morton and Lucy Cartlidge.

Vocal solo, 20 years and under. 1 Lucy Rhodes.

Singer/songwriter. 1 Arnold Boddy and Elizabeth Holbrook; 2 Sandy Hill.

Vocal solo, 17 years and under. 1 Harriet Dyson; 2 Jane Leah; 3 Pauline Rogan.

Jazz singer, 16 years and over. 1 Michael Kneale; 2 Maura Peake.

Country and Western. 1 Louise Banks.

Gilbert and Sullivan opera. 1 Michael Kneale; 2 Anthony Shaw ; 3 Jonathan Morrish.

Songs from the shows. 1 Andrea Walker; 2 Hailey Johnson; Joint 3 Michael Kneale and Doreen Smith.

Old time music hall song.1 Sandy Hill; 2 Anthony Shaw; Joint 3 Michel Kneale and Maura Peake

Friday - King's Hall

School choirs, nine years and under. 1 Clayton CE Primary School; 2 Wakefield Girls High School Junior School Choir; 3 Moorfield School Junior Choir.

School choirs, 11 years and under. 1 Clayton CE Primary School; Joint 2 Moorfield School Senior Choir and Westville House School Choir.

School choirs 11 years and under. 1 The Alcuin School.

School choirs 13 years and under. 1 St Aidan's Junior Choir.

Church music school choirs, under 15.1 Malsis School Chapel Choir.

CRAIGLANDS CHAMPIONSHIP CUP awarded to Clayton CE Primary School.

Saturday - King's Hall

Vocal duet. 1 Maura Peake & Kathryn Morris; 2 Kathryn Morris & Jeni Oetgen.

Female voice choirs. 1 Nelson Civic Ladies Choir; 2 Denby Dale Ladies Choir.

Saturday - Ridding's Hall

British composers song. 1 Jean Webster; 2 Mary Cadwaladr; 3 Michael Kneale.

Oratorio Solo. 1 Mary Cadwaladr;

Premier Vocal Solo. 1 Mary Cadwaladr; 2 David Hall; 3 Jean Webster.

Lieder in German. 1 David Hall; 2 Jean Webster; 3 Christine Quirk.

Purcell song. 1 Mary Cadwaladr; Joint 2 Michael Kneale and Patricia Shires.