Llanelli Rotary's first Young Musician competition is a hit!

The first ever Young Musician competition organised by Llanelli Rotary Club saw nine children from three different schools battle for the title.
Set in the prestigious surroundings of Stradey Castle, the competition set a very high benchmark for future Young Musician events.
“It would be fair to say that the talent on display was quite remarkable,” said Llanelli Rotary President Hywel Bassett.
“As this was our inaugural Young Musician competition, we didn’t really know what to expect. But I know I was blown away by the quality of musicianship and singing – and I know the audience packed into the Great Hall at Stradey Castle felt the same.”
The winner was 16-year-old guitarist Cai Charles from Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade (pictured above with Llanelli Rotary President Hywel Bassett).
Cai, who has ambitions to study at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, performed The Cello Suite in G Major No1 by J S Bach and Sunburst by Andrew York.
Cai said he had been inspired to take up the guitar as an instrument by the Australian-born British Classical guitarist John Williams.
The runner-up was 17-year-old pianist Chelsea Milward from Ysgol Gyfun y Strade.
Chelsea performed Praeludium II in C Minor by JS Bach and Beethoven’s famous Moonlight Sonata.
Cai will now go forward to represent the Area 3 District 1150 grouping of Rotary clubs in a District Final to be held at Cowbridge Comprehensive School on Saturday, March 21.
The Rotary International Britain and Ireland (RIBI) National Young Musician Competition is a well-established and successful competition promoted by RIBI and sponsored by Harrods.
The national final will be held in May in Darwen, Lancashire.
The competition is structured into two categories – instrumental and vocal.
Only one winner can be chosen in the first round, but the judges can use their discretion to nominate other competitors into the district round.
And, in the case of the Llanelli competition, they agreed the only vocalist taking part in the event Calley Lewis-Meredith, of Coedcae School, should go forward to the next round.
Calley, 15, performed two items – George Gershwin’s Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) and Queen’s famous hit No-one but you (only the good die young).
Llanelli Rotary President Mr Bassett said: “We will have two great representatives in the District Final in Cai and Calley. Chelsea will also be on stand-by for the event should a spare wildcard place open up in the district event.”
Mr Bassett added that the aims of the musical competition were to offer young people:
· experience of performing on a public stage.
· an opportunity to showcase their musical talent.
· impartial feedback and assessment of performance by experienced adjudicators.
The judges for the Llanelli Rotary Young Musician of the Year were John Hywel Williams MBE (the celebrated musical director of the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers and Llanelli Choral Society) and renowned South Wales violinist Davinder Singh.
Mr Singh said the judges had been impressed with the quality of musicianship on display and he urged all the pupils to go on to greater things through “practice, practice, practice!”
The joint MCs for the day were Llanelli Rotary past president Robert Lloyd and Rotarian Monro Walters.
The competition organiser was Rotarian Cerith Owens, of Loud Applause Productions.
The other members of the organising team included Llanelli Rotary’s senior vice president Sue Roberts, who also donated the trophy, and junior vice-president Mark Evans.
The facilities at Stradey Castle were very kindly provided by Patrick and Claire Mansel-Lewis.
Other competitors who took part in the competition were –
Rhodri Thomas, 15, Ysgol y Strade, who played trombone.
Ujjawal Kumar, 14, St Michael’s School, violin.
Sneha Kumar, 13, St Michael’s School, viola.
Bethany Lambert, 13, Coedcae School, violin.
Abigail Lambert, 13, Coedcae, violin.
Zoe Lambert, 12, Coedcae, viola.

Weblink –
www.llanellirotary.com

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