There was a fine turn out of young players for the recent Gwent for Solo and Quartet contest – and they certainly impressed adjudicators Joanne Childs and Paul Holland.
116 players
The event took place at the YMCA Centre in Newport with 116 brass players taking part, representing bands and schools within Greater Gwent as well as entries from Upper Rhondda, the Forest of Dean, and from the Midlands band Sovereign Brass.
Results:
Class A Slow Melody: 11 years & under
1. Ethan Hall (Blaenavon Town)
2. Elicia Hopkins (Rogerstone)
3. James Holingsworth (Usk Youth Brass)
Most Promising Player: Harriot Casey (Rogerstone)
Class B Slow Melody: 12 & 13 years
1. Dewi Kinsey (Upper Rhondda Brass)
2. Bethan Cooke (Abergavenny Borough)
3. Ross Dunne (Pontypool Brass)
Class C Slow Melody: 14 & 15 years
1. Lewis Rees (Upper Rhondda Brass)
2. Owen Kinsey (Upper Rhondda Brass)
3. Emily Humphries (Abergavenny Borough)
Class D Air Varie: 15 years & under
1. Lewis Rees (Upper Rhondda Brass)
2. Emily Humphries (Abergavenny Borough)
3. Ross Dunne (Pontypool Brass)
Class F Slow Melody: 16 – 18 years
1. Ben Stratford (Flowers)
2. Otis Williams (Forest Area Youth)
3. Rory Rolfe (Sovereign Brass)
Most Promising Player: David Morgan (Usk Youth Brass)
Class G Air Varie: 16 – 18 years
1. Ben Stratford (Flowers)
2. Rory Rolfe (Sovereign Brass)
3. Rob Spencer (Pontypool Brass)
Class H Slow Melody: Open
1. Ben Stratford (Flowers)
2. Otis Williams (Forest Area Youth Brass)
3. Lewis Rees (Upper Rhondda Brass)
Class J Air Varie: Open
1. Rory Rolfe (Sovereign Brass)
2. Ben Stratford (Flowers)
3. Emily Humphries (Abergavenny Borough)
Class K Quartets: 15 years & under
1. Rhondda Rebels Quartet(Upper Rhondda Brass)
2. Only Brass R Loud (Abergavenny Borough)
3. Blaenavon Junior Quartet (Blaenavon Town)
Most Promising Quartet: Uskimos(Usk Youth Brass)
Class L Quartets: 16 to 18 Years
1. UskOTC (Usk Youth Brass)
Class M Quartets: Open
1. Fourtune (Forest Area Youth Brass)
2. Croesyceiliog School Quartet (Croesyceiliog School)
3. Only Brass R Loud (Abergavenny Borough)
Class N Ensemble: 15 years & under
1. Brass Monkeys (Abergavenny Borough)
2. Junior Express (Severn Tunnel)
3. Uskites(Usk Youth Brass)
Most Promising Ensemble Pontypool Puffers(Pontypool Brass Band)
Class P Ensemble: Open
1. Uskids (Usk Youth Brass)
2. Newport Ensemble (Newport Borough Brass)
3. Pontypool Players (Pontypool Brass)
