Newsroom

Percussionist is Overall Winner at Valero Music Festival

Percussionist Sara Llewellyn from Haverfordwest High V.C. School was the overall winner at this year’s Secondary Schools Valero Music Festival.

The annual festival, which is organised by the Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service and sponsored by Valero, took place at Ysgol Caer Elen on Saturday (November 16^th).

Over 200 young musicians from each of the County’s eight county secondary schools, Pembrokeshire College and further afield took part in individual and ensemble competitions throughout the day.

Later in the afternoon, an enthusiastic audience enjoyed a ‘Spotlight’ concert showcasing the individual winners and the winners of the instrumental and vocal ensemble competitions. During the concert every performer who was placed 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rdthroughout the day received a badge in recognition of their achievement.

Music Service coordinators Philippa Roberts and Sarah Benbow proudly said; “This concert is a celebration of the continued hard work and dedication of the young musicians of Pembrokeshire.

“Thanks also go to ‘The Friends of Pembrokeshire Young Musicians’ for providing refreshments and who continue to support the Music Service at all events throughout the year.”

This year the Music Service was supported by Music Young Ambassadors. These are keen young musicians from the Music Service who show initiative and were helpful during the day.

Denis Mahoney, ensemble adjudicator, expressed his admiration for the day.

“This level of achievement is indeed bucking the national trend and can only be attributed to the wonderful teaching taking place, and the fantastic organisation and management of the music service and staff. Please, do all in your power to sustain all you do for the young people in your county. It is indeed incredible!

“Thank you, and Valero, for a wonderful and exciting day. The learners will never forget the day, and their experience of standing up, performing, and in many cases winning, will live with them for the rest of their lives.”

The overall winner, Sara Llewellyn, was presented with the Overall Winners’ Cup by Head Adjudicator Timothy Angel. Earlier in the day Sara, who won the Open Jazz competition, performed ‘Blues for Gilbert’ by Mark Glentworth.

Winner of the Open Woodwind competition was Ella Townsend from Haverfordwest High V.C. School who performed ‘Concertino’ by Chaminade.

The Open String competition winner was cellist Rhys Lewis from Haverfordwest High V.C. School who performed ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ by David Popper.

The Open Piano winner was Lefi Dafydd from Ysgol Preseli who performed ‘The March of the Dwarfs’ by Edvard Grieg.

Rhys Evans from Milford Haven School was the winner of the Open Brass class and performed ‘Morceau De Concert’ by J.G. Pennequin.

The Open Vocal Competition was won by Phebe Salmon from Ysgol Bro Gwaun who sang ‘Llanc Ifanc o Lŷn’ gan William Jones & T. Gwynn Jones.

Meanwhile the Open Percussion class winner was Carys Underwood from Ysgol Preseli who performed ‘Monograph IV’ by Richard Gipson.

Harri Tudur Vocal Ensemble

The Open Vocal Ensemble class winners were a Vocal group from Ysgol Harri Tudur (pictured above). Melissa Phillips, Madelyn Wheeler, Catrin Connellan, Megan Thomas, Felicity Lewis and Ruby Tingle performed ‘I Won’t Say I’m In Love’ from Hercules.

HHVC Cello Trio

The Open Instrumental Ensemble competition was won by Haverfordwest High V.C. School Cello Trio (pictured above); Rhys Lewis, Rhianna Wade and Mia Burnett, who performed ‘Classical Music Mash up’ by Grant Willard arr. Rhys Lewis.

The invited professional adjudicators - Timothy Angel, vocal; Denis Mahoney, ensemble; Peter Fielding, woodwind; Robin Hackett, brass; Karin Jenkins, strings; Bethan Harkin, piano and harp; Melanie Walker, instrumental, Nick Baron, percussion and jazz – were greatly impressed with the high standard and strength of schools’ music on show from across the County.

County Music Service Manager Ben Field thanked the adjudicators, teachers, parents and students for making the Festival such a success.

“Pembrokeshire Music Service would like to give heartfelt thanks to Valero for their continued and longtime sponsorship and support of this event,” he said.

Stephen Thornton, Public Affairs Manager at Valero Pembroke Refinery, said: “We are incredibly proud to support Pembrokeshire’s young musicians for another year.

“More than 200 young people took part in the competition, demonstrating the wealth of creativity, dedication and passion across the county.

“It was wonderful to see competitors take on such an exciting variety of musical genres and they did themselves, their schools and their teachers proud.”

The main picture shows the winners of each section with Valero's Public Affairs Assistant and Ben Field from Pembrokeshire County Council’s Music Service.

The results of the competitions held during the day were as follows:

Woodwind

Grade 3 Clarinet & Sax

1^st	Oliver Newboult	Milford Haven
2^nd	Martha Lee	Harri Tudur
3^rd	Jeny Frayling	HHVC

Grade 3 Flute & Oboe

1^st	Arianne Mabe-Jones	Caer Elen
2^nd	Maddie Guy	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Enfys Wheeler	Preseli
HC	Mared Phillips	Preseli

Grade 4 Flute & Oboe

1^st	Alice Hillen	HHVC
2^nd	Megan Thompson	HHVC
3^rd	Aimee Kettle	Greenhill

Grade 4 Clarinet and Sax

1^st	Amelia Faletou	Greenhill
2^nd	Annis Henton	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Ela-Gwenno-Jones	Caer Elen
H.C	Leah Caroll	Harri Tudur

Grade 5 Flute & Oboe

1^st	Livia Pyart	HHVC
2^nd	Ella Thomas	Greenhill
3^rd	Finn Sinclair	HHVC

Grade 5 Clarinet & Sax

1^st	Robert Cecil	Milford Haven
2^nd	Niamh Smith	Redhill School
3^rd	Harry Armstrong	Milford Haven
HC	Ffion Frayling	HHVC

Grade 6 Clarinet & Sax

1^st	Dylan Freeman	Harri Tudor
2^nd	Rosie Christie	Preseli
3^rd	Lefi Dafydd	Preseli

Grade 6 Flute & Oboe

1^st	Jencyn Corp	Preseli
2^nd	Evie-Jean Davies	Greenhill
3^rd	Lily Meddings	Penrhyn Dewi

Grade 7 Woodwind

1^st	Anna Long	HHVC
2^nd	Rowan Maclachlan	Milford Haven
3^rd	Megan Shinner	HHVC

Open Woodwind*

1^st	Ella Townsend	HHVC
2^nd	Nell Evans	Preseli
3^rd	Georgina Morris	HHVC

Brass

Grade 3 Brass

1^st	Matthew Flynn	Greenhill
2^nd	Rhys Colnet	Preseli
3^rd	Ifan Jones	Preseli
H.C	Tobias Edwards	HHVC
H.C	Faith Barcoe	Milford Haven

Grade 4 Brass

1^st	James Goodwin-Close	Greenhill
2^nd	Toby Middlemist	HHVC
3^rd	Sophie Lewis	Harri Tudur
HC	Dee Dee Scarborough	HHVC

Grade 5 Brass

1^st	Mark Oughton	Home Educated
2^nd	Mairwen James	Preseli
3^rd	Ifan Evans	Bro Gwaun
HC	Joel Oughton	Home Educated

Grade 6 Brass

1^st	Iwan Brew	Bro Gwaun
2^nd	Taran Parker	Preseli
2^nd	Morgan Price	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Guillaume Evans	Penrhyn Dewi

Grade 7 Brass

1^st	Lucy Anthony	Greenhill
2^nd	Imogen Stace-Smith	Greenhill
2^nd	Nia Llewellyn	HHVC

Grade Open Brass *

1^st	Rhys Evans	Milford Haven
2^nd	Robbie Davies	Penrhyn Dewi
3rd	Marilla Evans	Preseli

Strings

Grade 3 Strings

1^st	Megan Evans	Caer Elen
2^nd	Sabrina Semaani	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Mia Burnett	HHVC

Grade 4 Strings

1^st	Sam Kelly	Penrhyn Dewi
2^nd	Esyllt Corp	Preseli
3^rd	Millie Evans-Thomas	Greenhill

Grade 5 Strings

1^st	Marilla Evans	Preseli
1^st	Ella Bromby	Greenhill
2^nd	Gwenna Maycock	Bro Gwaun
3^rd	Alonwy Roberts	Bro Gwaun
3^rd	Lara Whitfield	Preseli
H.C	Freya Prout	HHVC
H.C	Samantha Semaani	Penrhyn Dewi
H.C	Nivetha Athithan	HHVC

Grade 6 Strings

1^st	Tom Davies	Greenhill
2^nd	Taran Parker	Preseli
3^rd	Maisie Kite	HHVC
3^rd	Nia Morgan	Redhill School
H.C	Jenifer Rees	Redhill School
H.C	Daisy Whitfield	Preseli

Grade 7 Strings

1^st	Bethan Freeman	Harri Tudur
1^st	Eve Mathias	Preseli

Grade Open Strings*

1^st

Rhys Lewis

HHVC

Piano/Harp

Grade 3 Piano/Harp

1^st	Sophie Lewis	Harri Tudur
2^nd	Toby Hounsell	Harri Tudur
3^rd	Dan Shinnee	HHVC

Grade 4 Piano/Harp

1^st	Freya Prout	HHVC
2^nd	Tobias Edwards	HHVC
3^rd	Samantha Semaani	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Sabrina Semaani	Penrhyn Dewi

Grade 5 Piano/Harp

1^st	Nathan Howe	Penrhyn Dewi
2^nd	Esyllt Corp	Preseli
3^rd	Charlotte Lewis	Harri Tudur
3^rd	Marilla Evans	Preseli
HC	Jenifer Rees	Redhill

Grade 6/7 Piano/Harp

1^st	Eliza Bradbury	HHVC
2^nd	Jencyn Corp	Preseli
3^rd	Nell Evans	Preseli
H.C	Declan Connellan	Harri Tudur
H.C	Imogen Grimes	Pembrokeshire College

Open Piano/Harp *

1^st	Lefi Dafydd	Preseli
2^nd	Isabel Howe	Penrhyn Dewi
2^nd	Awen Davies	Preseli
3^rd	Seren Phillips	Preseli
H.C	Elyse Edwards	HHVC
H.C	Rhys Lewis	HHVC

Vocal

Musical Theatre and Classical Vocal Years 7-9

1^st	Niko Solomon	Milford Haven
2^nd	Molly James	Preseli
3^rd	Mared Phillips	Preseli
3^rd	Grace Griffiths	Bro Gwaun
H.C	Gwenna Maycock	Bro Gwaun

Popular Vocal Years 7-9

1^st	Megan Thomas	Harri Tudur
2^nd	Holly Pyart	Milford Haven
3^rd	Cadi Moore	Preseli
HC	Alicia Thomas	Milford Haven

Popular Vocal Years 10-13

1^st	Cerys Grant	Pembrokeshire College
2^nd	Phebe Salmon	Bro Gwaun
3^rd	Jadie Dyne	Harri Tudur
HC	Lily Coles	HHVC
HC	Abi Griffiths-McCaffrey	HHVC

Musical Theatre & Classical Vocal Years 10-13

1^st	Phebe Salmon	Bro Gwaun
2^nd	Nancy Mason-Hoskins	Bro Gwaun
3^rd	Lily Meddings	Penrhyn Dewi
H.C	Seren Thorne	Bro Gwaun

Open Vocal Ensemble*

1^st	Harri Tudur Vocal Group
2^nd	HHVC Yr 11 Trio
3^rd	HHVC Vocal Trio

Open Vocal *

1^st	Phebe Salmon	Bro Gwaun
2^nd	Megan John	HHVC

Ensemble

Ensemble Grade 5-

1^st	HHVC Lower School Trio
2^nd	HHVC Piano trio
3^rd	Greenhill String Quartet
HC	Milford Haven Wind Ensemble

Grade 6-8 Ensemble

1^st	HHVC String Ensemble
2^nd	HHVC Clarinet Trio

Instrumental Duo

1^st	HHVC Violin and Harp Duet
2^nd	HHVC Clarinet Duet
3^rd	HHVC Piano Duet

Open Instrumental Ensemble*

1^st	HHVC Cello Trio
2^nd	HHVC Flute Trio
3^rd	HHVC Flute Choir

Percussion

Kit Percussion Grade 3-7

1^st	Oliver Haltham	Castle School
2^nd	Lewis Williams	Penrhyn Dewi
3^rd	Iolo Evans	Bro Gwaun
HC	Callum Cunnea	Harri Tudur

Open Percussion*

1^st	Carys Underwood	Preseli
2^nd	Dylan Sanders-Swales	Milford Haven
3^rd	Imogen Stace-Smith	Greenhill

Jazz

Grade 3-5

1^st

James Townsend

HHVC

Open Jazz*

1^st	Sara Llewellyn	HHVC
2^nd	Jake Scott	HHVC
3^rd	Dylan Sanders-Swales	Milford Haven
HC	Caitlyn Arran	Milford Haven
HC	Nia Llewellyn	HHVC

ID: 5832, revised 21/02/2020