A Wester Ross lad won his class in Saturday’s accordion competitions, and thanked his tutor who is based more than 160 miles from his home.
Alasdair MacDonald, 15, of Londubh, Poolewe, is schooled in the button box by Diane Mearns, who lives in Perth.
But Alasdair and Diane do not have to travel vast distances for the lessons – as it is all done via their computers and the wonders of Skype.
Alasdair said: “It is great. I have top class coaching and do not have to travel at all.”
He added that when he was six he heard a ceilidh band and thought the accordion player was brilliant. An old family instrument was dug out of storage and he has never looked back.
“I really would like to go on and make a career out of my music,” said Alasdair, who came top in the under-19 category for playing a march, strathspey and reel in the Highland-Gaelic idiom.
Diane Mearns is one half of the well known ceilidh duo Donnie and Diane.
Practice makes perfect, it is said, and it certainly is the case for 12-year-old Skye pianist Isla Macleod, from Staffin.
After coming second at last year’s Mod in Paisley, Isla came top in the under-13 age group class, winning the Jenny MB Currie Kilt Pin with her slow Gaelic air and march.
Isla is taught by Alison Beaton from Kilmuir on Skye.
An Edinburgh schoolboy proved on Saturday that he is just as skilled with his hands as with his feet.
Having just been selected for Dance School Scotland in Glasgow, Magnus Westwell, 15, won the Robert MacCallum Memorial Trophy for fiddle music in the 13-18 class.
Magnus, who attends the City of Edinburgh Music School, regularly visits Orkney with his father Phil, who plays the Irish pipes, and mother Lorna, who plays piano.