The Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) kicked off at the University of Aberdeen last week.
The festival, which runs until August 3, opened with an official reception at Elphinstone Hall in Old Aberdeen on Thursday (July 25) hosted by Professor Albert Rodger, Vice Principal for External Affairs at the University and member of the AIYF board of trustees, and Stewart Aitken, CEO and Artistic Director of the festival.
Reception guests were treated to performances from some of this year’s talented young groups that will be taking part in various AIYF events this week.
Professor Rodger said: “The University is delighted to continue our support for this important highlight of the North-east calendar, and to see the Festival go from strength to strength, welcoming talent from new countries every year. Diversity, dedication and community underpin the ethos of life at the University and it is wonderful to see the enthusiasm, hard work and new friendships which mark this wonderful event and will create so many good memories for all taking part.”
Many of the finest young performers from the world youth arts movement will come to perform at AIYF this year.
The festival is internationally recognised as one of the biggest most successful and longest running youth arts festivals in the world.
For the 2013 festival more than 800 young people, from 16 countries accompanied by teams of choreographers, directors, conductors and chaperones are scheduled to descend on the city to perform in upwards of 100 shows.
Performance genres celebrated at the festival each year include dance, theatre, jazz, classical and world music, opera and orchestral.