Youth Page
It would be good if some of our young supporters would contribute something to the page, so that I don't have to write it all myself! If you have something to contribute, e-mail us.
Whiz-Kids Pitch their Ideas
Teams from 15 Highland schools (ranging from Dunoon to Wick!) gather in the Pavilion on 18 March for the ICT Youth Challenge 2008. The competition is about growing ideas for new businesses based on information and communication technology, and each team has to present their ideas for the future to a panel of judges.
Gaelic Drama
Children from Gairloch, Bonar Bridge, Craighill and Dingwall Primary Schools presented an evening of Gaelic drama in the Pavilion on March, organised by Feisean nan Gaidheal, with music by Feis Rois.
Work Experience
Thanks to local lad Jay Pritchard, who opted to do his week's work experience with us in the Pavilion and was good to have around as well as being a great help and producing some excellent posters for us! We hope he enjoyed his week at the Pavilion.
Book Awards
Children across the Highlands voted for their favourite books of the year and the awards ceremony took place in the Pavilion in June 2007. This year's awards ceremony will also take place in the Pavilion on 18 June.
Mattheu Watson
Young local musican Mattheu Watson was invited to play with the famous Salsa Celtica in the Pavilion, with a view to playing more gigs with them soon. Talented Mattheu, who plays fiddle, guitar and whistle as well as composing music, has already performed in the Pavilion a number of times, with the Tassel Bandits and in other groups. He reached the final of the Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and is clearly destined for a great musical future.
Young Orchestras
The Pavilion has been the venue for several concerts by the Highland Regional Youth Orchestra, Highland Schools Wind Band and Highland Schools String Orchestra. About 90 young people take part in HRYO events, and some 150 in the Wind Band/String Orchestra concerts! All the performances were much enjoyed by packed audiences. Thanks to the Lochaber contingent of the HSWB, who sent us a message that "playing at the Pavilion was awesome!"
This year, the four Scottish Centres of Excellence in Music from Aberdeen, Douglas, Edinburgh and Plockton got together for a brilliant concert at the Pavilion.
TheRITES and Stereoglo
Talented local band TheRITES had a great gig in the Pavilion in October 2005, supported by the Skye-based Indie-style band Stereoglo one of whose members, Gareth Ince, lives in Strathpeffer).
TheRITES subsequently won Best Group and Best Live Performance in the Inverness City Advertiser (ICA) awards.
Stereoglo also seemed to be going from strength to strength - they were featured in Scotland on Sunday's "Spectrum" magazine and went on to perform in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Bilbao in Spain!
Sadly, however, both The Rites and Stereoglo have now split up. We wish all of them good luck in their future careers. Rites keyboard player George Campbell is now with The Side, who recently performed in Moscow!
Have you visited the Scotloads website, also run from Strathpeffer, by Chris Rasdale? Here you can sample and download tracks by independent Scottish musicians of all kinds.
Is there a Piper in the House?
 Apparently the Highland dancers who perform in Strathpeffer Square every Saturday from May to September are looking for a piper to accompany them, because the pipers in the band need to take a break while the dancers perform. Any offers?
The picture shows some of the dancers, who took part in a short film about the Pavilion made in 2005 by Talents, a group of youngsters from Alness.
 Do you know that there's a website with all sorts of info for Scots aged 12-26? It's National Young Scot - check it out. Why not also take a look at the Highland Youth Voice website.
Tickets are already on sale for this year's Tartan Heart Festival, to be held at Belladrum near Beauly on 8 and 9 August.
And a link to Loopallu, held in Ullapool in September, last year featuring Franz Ferdinand.
And RockNess, being held again this year at Dores, by Loch Ness, from 6 to 8 June. Tickets already on sale.
SPA gratefully acknowledges support by HIE Inverness & East Highland (formerly RACE) and The Highland Council. SPA is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, Scottish Charity number SC 028241 VAT reg. no. 873 2032 40
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