All The World's A Stage

Aberdeen International Youth Festival is a global phenomenon

- Garry Fraser

ADD the word “youth” to a festival title, and a vibrant,dynamic gathering comes to mind. That’s certainly the case with Aberdeen International Youth Festival, which has become one of Scotland’s premier cultural occasions.

It’s this enthusiasm that chief executive Stewart Aitken pinpoints as a key reason to the festival’s success.

“The core thing about the festival is the energy the young people bring every year,” he says. “Many groups and individuals are coming for their first time, each with the same desire to meet, collaborate and perform.

“That’s what makes the festival special.”

The festival began in embryonic form in the late 1960s as the International Festival of Youth Orchestras, with the first event held in St Moritz. In 1973, the festival moved to the UK, based jointly in Aberdeen and London. Since 1979 the Granite City has hosted the entire event, opening its doors to more than 1000 performers every year.