A TALENTED young harpist, tutored by a former Royal Harpist, has been crowned the best young musician in Wales after winning the inaugural Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition.
Heledd Wynn Newton, 20, from Cardiff, triumphed in the prestigious event, held during the North Wales International Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral. The final, which lasted two hours, captivated the audience and was recorded by BBC Radio Cymru.
Heledd, who has been playing the harp for over 12 years, was presented with the Pendine Trophy and a cash prize of £2,000 by Mario Kreft MBE, proprietor of the Pendine Park care organisation, which sponsored the competition through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust.
The competition was fiercely contested, with other finalists including pianist Rufus Edwards, from Bersham near Wrexham; trumpeters Alice Newbould, from Flintshire, and Thea Ormrod, from Betws-y-Coed; as well as fellow harpist Annest Mair Davies, from Mwnt near Cardigan. Three vocalists, Branwen Medi Jones, from Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Kizzy Lumley-Edwards, from Cardiff, and Leisa Mair Lloyd-Edwards, from Caernarfon, also delivered impressive performances.
Heledd’s performance, featuring a diverse programme of compositions, earned her a standing ovation from the audience. She expressed her delight at winning, saying, “I’ve always been a fan of my tutor, Catrin Finch, and I’m so lucky to have lessons with her. I can’t wait to tell her I’ve won this prize.”
She plans to use the prize money to continue her musical studies. Currently in the third year of a Bachelor’s degree in music, Heledd is considering pursuing a Master’s degree in performance.
The competition’s panel of adjudicators, which included Lisa Tregale, director of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, former Royal Harpist Alis Huws, Chetham’s School of Music’s former principal Alun Jones, and Dutch-born pianist Cyrill Ibrahim, had the challenging task of selecting the winner.
Lisa Tregale remarked, “It was a pleasure to adjudicate this competition. The standard was incredibly high, and our decision was based not only on technique but also on how the performers connected with the audience.”
Mario Kreft praised the inaugural competition, saying, “The variety of instruments and the range of talent on display was truly impressive. I believe this event has the potential to become one of the premier competitions for young musicians in Wales, helping to propel their careers.”
The competition was the brainchild of the festival’s new Artistic Director, royal composer Paul Mealor, who hailed the performances as world-class: “You could go to any top festival and not see better than what we’ve witnessed tonight.”
The North Wales International Music Festival continues, with tickets and further details available at www.nwimf.com.
