The fifth annual Young Musician competition organised by Llanelli Rotary Club saw performances of the highest standard.
“All the competitors were a credit to their parents and their teachers and helped showcase what a wonderful range of youth talent we have in and around Llanelli,” said the chairman of the judging panel, Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir musical director D Eifion Thomas.
The final of the Llanelli Rotary Club competition also doubled up as the Rotary Area Final, with the winners going through to the third round, a Welsh District Final in Blackwood, Gwent, on March 9.
The Young Musician event is a national competition. The target is to get through to the Rotary International Britain and Ireland final.
The Llanelli Rotary Club Final and Area Final was split into two categories – instrumental and vocal.
The Llanelli Rotary instrumental competition was won by 16-year-old Amelia Jane Lee, a pupil at Gower College in Gorseinon.
The runner-up was 15-year-old Abbie Morgan, of Coedcae School, Llanelli.
Amelia Jane Lee took the Area title, with Morgan Bird, aged 17, of Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr in Gowerton, the runner-up.
Amelia Jane Lee’s programme of music featured Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum by Debussy and Shui Cao Wu by Ming xin du.
The winner of the vocalist competition (in both the Llanelli and Area events) was James Oakley, aged 14, of Ysgol y Strade.
The vocal competition as so competitive there was little to choose between the top four contestants.
The judges took the unusual step of giving a joint runners-up award to Daisy Owens, aged 16 of Ysgol y Strade and Loud Applause Rising Stars, and Osian Clarke, 17, head boy of Ysgol Dyffryn Amman and a member of Loud Applause Rising Stars.James Oakley’s programme of music featured Anfonaf Angel, Can yr Arad Goch and Stars from Les Miserables.
Daisy Owens Osian Clarke
The finals were staged at the impressive music studio facilities at Ysgol y Strade in Llanelli.
“It would be fair to say that the talent on display was quite remarkable,” said Llanelli Rotary President Alison Evans.
“I was blown away by the quality of musicianship and singing – and I know the audience at Ysgol y Strade felt the same.
The judges were Mr D Eifion Thomas and the celebrated organist Allan Fewster MBE.
The competition organisers were Rotarians Cerith Owens and Kevin Jones.
The compere was Rotarian and Past President of Llanelli Rotary Robert Lloyd.
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