WEST Kilbride’s famous violinist Nicola Benedetti has been honoured again.

The 26 year old musician celebrated her second Classic Brit award by helping to launch a new festival in Cumnock.

Nicola, who won the Female Artist of the Year category for the second consecutive year for her album The Silver Violin, joined leading Ayrshire composer James Macmillan to set up the Cumnock Tryst.

On Monday, Nicola was in Cumnock helping to launch a new music festival to be called the Cumnock Tryst (pictured left).

The festival is the brainchild of Cumnock-born James who is one of the leading composers in the world.

At the Brit awards Nicola said: “There are centuries of music to discover. If you are watching this, here or at home, and this is your main exposure to classical music, go and discover the rest – go and discover the symphonies of Beethoven, Sibelius and Shotstakovich.” Nicola, elder daughter of millionaire businessman Gio and wife Francesca, toured the album throughout the UK last year - including shows in Largs and her home of West Kilbride.

Nicola was at Buckingham Palace last week to play at the launch of the 2014 Commonwealth Games baton relay.

Jane Nicolson and Fergus Duncan of Largs both sang in the performance of James Macmillan’s first composition 25 years ago.