IT’S not often Cumnock news reaches the pages of the New York Times - but thanks to the Cumnock Tryst, that’s exactly what happened.

Local composer James MacMillan CBE is thrilled with the success of the first ever festival and is delighted to announce the dates for next year’s festival: Thursday 1 - Sunday 4 October 2015. Several concerts this year were sold-out, and audiences packed out other events over the four days, creating a great start for the first of what is to become an annual event.

Although the festival attracted attention from national and international media, James MacMillan has said right from the start that local people are at the heart of the festival and that’s exactly what the first festival proved. The support from the people of Cumnock and surrounding areas was tremendous, and many local groups gave outstanding and unforgettable performances in the festival. The opening concert in St John’s Church was very special, with a programme of stunning choral music chosen for the occasion, sung by one of the best choirs in the world, The Sixteen. The programme closed with a work by MacMillan himself, his Miserere which quotes part of the lovely Scottish tune from his setting of “The Tryst”. This was a very moving and beautiful concert in the church James MacMillan has known all his life.

This was followed by terrific playing at the Festival Club by the Dunaskin Doon Band who gave a top-notch, swinging performance, featuring exceptionally talented young musicians - and formed the start of a showcase of local talent featured throughout the festival.

Friday’s first event brought the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to Cumnock Academy where its pupils, and those of neighbouring Ayrshire schools, attended a fascinating 'Masterworks’ concert presented by international educationalist Paul Rissmann and composer Karin Rehnqvist. Pupils of Cumnock Academy performed a very impressive piece they had written themselves, which they had been working on with the SCO.

A lively cultural discussion took place later on Friday at the Dumfries Arms Hotel, hosted by BBC’s James Naughtie, with James MacMillan, local Scots poet Rab Wilson and lawyer and former professional footballer from Cumnock, Derek Stillie. This was followed by a breathtaking performance by violinist Ian Peaston. Ian who grew up in Cumnock, now has an international career and said how pleased he was to be playing back in Cumnock in James MacMillan’s first festival. Ian’s performance was on electric violin making it sound like an orchestra or twenty piece band with rhythm section. His playing was virtuosic and the audience was utterly captivated. Earlier in the week, Ian had been visiting local schools giving them workshops, which were a huge success and inspiration.

Friday night’s Festival Club was a thrill with the wonderful musicians of CAMPS. They gave a rip-roaring performance of songs from Les Miserables and once again showed that “Cumnock’s got talent” in a major way.

On Saturday morning over 100 amateur singers from Ayrshire, and amazingly some from as far as Shetland and America, congregated at the Boswell Centre in Auchinleck for a day’s choral singing with members of The Sixteen and James MacMillan. They had never sung together before, but the results displayed in the short concert at the end of the day were extraordinary. James MacMillan then announced that this would be the basis for a Festival Chorus which he hopes to form for next year’s festival. Keen singers can get in touch with James MacMillan via the Cumnock Tryst website to get involved for next year.

Meanwhile, Saturday afternoon brought local schools to Cumnock Town Centre for The Festival Fringe. Here were superb performances from Barshare and Netherthird Primary Schools and Auchinleck Academy.

Saturday night brought the glorious playing of the young members of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland under the baton of the inimitable Russel Gray, who kept the audience in Cumnock Old Church thoroughly entertained between pieces. Brass players from Cumnock Academy gave a superb performance, and a brand new piece inspired by the Cumnock skyline by James MacMillan was specially written for and performed by the string orchestra of Greenmill Primary School.

Musicians from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Junior Conservatoire set toes tapping at the Festival Club late into Saturday night and then Sunday morning saw a very special Festival Mass at St John’s, where a quartet of singers from The Sixteen performed.

Sunday’s final concerts were in the glorious Dumfries House where there were three short concerts in three different rooms. Festival Patron and international violinist, Nicola Benedetti performed as brilliantly as ever. Alongside our four singers from The Sixteen, she gave the world premiere of a new work by James MacMillan which was inspired by a few bars of music of the Scots song “There’s nae luck aboot the hoose”, which are carved into the ornate plasterwork of Dumfries House. MacMillan’s Domus Infelix Est which was a serene and gentle work, featuring snippets of the Scottish song, worked beatifully in the surroundings of the stunning entrance hall. Theorbo player Elizabeth Kenny gave another world premiere by Benjamin Oliver in the impressive Tapestry Room, and in the Great Steward’s Dining Room, The young brass group Pure Brass played a further world premier specially commissioned by James MacMillan for the festival. This superb work was by New Cumnock composer Jay Capperauld, exquistely played by Pure Brass and highly praised by James MacMillan. MacMillan later said in a speech how proud he was of Jay Capperauld and that we will hear more of his music in coming festivals. The Festival is immensely grateful to sponsors, supporters, audiences and everyone in Cumnock and surrounding areas for helping to make the first festival such a success and create such a buzz about the town. We look forward to next year’s musical instalment when James MacMillan has already lined up a wonderful selection of music and musicians for the town.