Young Musician Competition (Instrumentalists)

On the evening of Wednesday 30th November, in Cowbridge School hall, 7 young instrumentalists met to compete in the club round of the Rotary Young Musician Competition. The evening began with harpist Rhys Wardhaugh from Cowbridge School who played Danza De Luzma by Ortiz followed by Nataliana by Henson-Conant. The next competitor was Alice Voisey Smith from Cowbridge School playing the 1st Movement of Sonateby Camille Saint-Saëns followed by Romanza from the 2nd movement of Poulenc's Clarinet Sonata. The next competitor Rhodri Richards a pianist from Llantwit Major School played contrasting pieces Allegro by J L Krebs, Thema Mit Variationen by Schumann and lastly Long Deng Diao by Jian Zhong Wang. 

Linnea Stenlund-Roderick from Cowbridge School came in 3rd place on the harp playing La Source by Zabel and Viejo Zortzico by Guridi. In second place Emily Jenkins from Cowbridge School on flute played Allegro from Flute Quartet in D major by Mozart and finished with Hypnosis by Ian Clarke. As the competition was a joint Rotary Club event shared between Llantwit Major and Cowbridge Rotary Clubs, there were 2 first prize winners, one from each school. This was just as well, because the judges felt there was little to choose between Cowbridge harpist Ioan Wardhaugh and Llantwit Major pianist Rhys Richards who were both awarded first prize. Ioan played Movement 1 from Handel's Harp Concerto followed by Etude de Concert by Felix Godefroid. Both pieces were played with great skill and musical expression. Rhys, who was also last year's winner played Allegro Moderato by Edvard Grieg, Prelude and Fugue by Bach and lastly Bulgarian Dance No. 4 by Bartok. These pieces, particularly the Grieg, were played with great intensity and passion. It is interesting to note that both Ioan and Rhys were also competing against their younger brothers Rhys (Wardhaugh) and Rhodri.

The panel of judges was made up of Mary Noyes, Nic Treharne and Hugh Phillips. Hugh has never adjudicated at the local Rotary Young Musician Competition before and said that he was very impressed with the high standard shown by these talented young instrumentalists. While the judges were conferring in private, making their decisions on who would win prizes, the audience was treated to some fine entertainment by Cowbridge School students. Charlotte Bonney (last year's vocalist winner) sang My Funny Valentine, Makin' Whoopie and Take the 'A' Train accompanied on piano by Mr Adrian Colborne, Head of Performing Arts. Next the Cowbridge School jazz group performed The Chicken by Pee Wee Ellis and Doxy by Sonny Rollins. Individuals in the group were encouraged by Mr Colborne to improvise during the performance. The group was made up of 3 trumpeters Tom Graham Jose, Michael Hain and Tom Evans, Alice Voisey Smith on the clarinet, Ed Sunderland (bass), Harry Laken (drums), Ben Roberts (congas) and of course Adrian Colborne on the piano.

Club President Charles Anderson, in giving thanks to the competitors and judges, wished the first prize winners Ioan and Rhys success in the next round of the competiton, which would most likely take place in January 2017.