Forest of Dean Area Youth Band's Trombonist Rhiannon Symonds recently finished 3rd in the prestigious Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod.

Under 16, but aged 11

Competing in the 'Under 16 Solo Instrumentalist Section' against performers 4 years her senior, her third place came against a violinist from Turkey and the daughter of the famous tenor vocalist Bulent Bezduz.

Grades

Rhiannon, aged 11, passed her Grade 8 trombone examination earlier this year, with distinction and added to this with a distinction in her Grade 7 Euphonium just a few weeks ago and the title of Forest of Dean Junior Young Musician 2009.

Symphony place

Rhiannon was recently offered a place in the City of Birmingham Symphony Youth Orchestra, which normally only take ages 14 – 21.

Rhiannon, a year 7 pupil at Haberdasher’s Monmouth School for Girls, studies trombone with Johanna Hirst and Euphonium with her mum Kristyann Symonds, and is a member of the Euphonium section of the National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain.