Llwydcoed Band gave themselves a timely boost of confidence ahead of their forthcoming Spring Festival trip to Blackpool with victory in the first leg of the 2017 Welsh League series in Merthyr Tydfil.

Their performance of 'Reflections on Swan Lake' proved good enough to claim the RTB Trophy, but as adjudicator Melvin White alluded to in his excellent précised analysis of all the Championship and First Section performances, it still also revealed a few musical feathers that needed to be tucked into place before they take to the Grand Shield stage at the Winter Gardens.

Llwydcoed victory

However, MD Chris Turner will have been pleased by the solidity of the ensemble and solo work on show with a week to go, with Evan Key taking his second successive 'Best Horn' award and the back row cornet section becoming the inaugural recipients of the Terry Hill Challenge Cup.

There was also some pre-Senior Trophy encouragement for Tylorstown under Gary Davies with a coherent rendition of 'Salute to Youth' as they prepare for their trip up the M6 next weekend, whilst there were delighted smiles for Pontardulais Town as they ended third with the rarely heard 'Alhambra' by Jan de Haan.

In a nice contesting quirk, their solo euphonium Bradley Barnes took the 'Best Instrumentalist' prize — just reward for the talented student who just happens to by studying Spanish.

First Section

There was a solid victory for AW Parker (Drybrook) in the First Section as the welcome visitors from the Forest of Dean made sure they appealed to local pride with a nearly construed performance of 'Kingdom of Dragons' under Josh Ruck to take the Mark Constance Memorial Trophy.

Guest euph player Grant Jameson from Flowers Band picked up the 'Best Instrumentalist' award as they beat off the 'Lorenzo' challenge of Ammanford, aided by 'Best Soprano' winner Tim Hughes and Abergaveny's 'Plantagenets'. Melvin White praised the competitors for their choices and stylish efforts but made the point that at times not everything quite came off.

Second Section

Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda led the way in the Second Section under Alan Gibbs, with their colourful rendition of 'The Mermaid of Zennor' taking the Hayden Evans Memorial Trophy, aided by outstanding contribution of veteran euph star Bob Burnett.

Third Section National finalists Abertillery Town was runner-up with a controlled 'Olympus', with Seindorf Arian Crwbin in third playing 'Culloden Moor'.

Third and Fourth Sections

Earlier, bands were combined together in a joint draw for the Third and Fourth Section, with Cory principal cornet player Tom Hutchinson picking out Cwmtawe & District Youth's super rendition of 'Olympus' led by Wayne Pedrick, to head home Upper Rhondda ('Music for a Festival') and Ynyshir ('The Dark Side of the Moon').

The Fourth Section honours went to Oakdale Silver directed by Kerry Bowden, with their neatly portrayed account of 'Prelude, Song & Dance', ahead of Gwaun Cae Gurwen ('St Andrew's Variations') and welcome visitors Malvern Hills District ('The Journal of Phileas Fogg')

Oakdale's principal cornet Janet Wells took the 'Best Instrumentalist' award for second year in a row, with Huw Davies of Ynyshir winning with the 'Best Euphonium' prize. Wayne Pedrick was the recipient of the Ivor Barnett Memorial Shield as the winning conductor in the Third Section, with Lewis Griffiths of Ogmore Valley presented with the Alison Rowe Memorial Trophy as the youngest player.

Youth and experience

There were also further encouraging signs that the investment by bands in producing the next generation of players continues to grow, with seven bands taking part in the Youth Section.

There were Gold Awards presented by Tom Hutchinson to Melingriffith Youth and Rhondda Fach Youth. Silver Awards were won by Cwmtawe Training and Blaenavon Town Juniors, with Bronze Awards going to BTM Learners, Abertillery Training and Melingriffith Beginners.

Talented flugel player Becca Evans from Melingriffith Youth took the 'Best Instrumentalist Award, with the cracking percussion team of Rhian Evans, Iwan Hill, Luke Williams, Kayleigh Lewis and Noah Davies of Rhondda Fach Youth picking up the Ev-entz Trophy. The youngest player of the entire day was 5 year old Megan Tovey of Blaenavon Town Juniors.

At the other end of the experience scale there were well deserved Life Membership Awards for 40 years or more of service to the Welsh banding movement to Dean Evans, Mair Evans, Rob Gowing, Clayton McCann, Mark Richards, Andre Robbins and Paul Williams. Dean Evans was also presented with a Bronze Award for Meritorious Service.

MD Chris Turner will have been pleased by the solidity of the ensemble and solo work on show with a week to go ahead of their Grand Shield challenge in Blackpool4BR

Results:

Championship Section:

Adjudicator: Melvin White

1. Llywdcoed (Chris Turner) — 190
2. Tylorstown (Gary Davies) — 188
3. Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins) — 187
4. Markham & District (Matt Rowe) — 186
5. Ebbw Valley (Gareth Ritter) — 185

Best Instrumentalist: Bradley Barnes (euphonium) — Pontardulais
Best Horn: Evan Key (Llwydcoed)
Terry Hill Trophy to Best Back Row Cornet Section: Llwydcoed

First Section:

Adjudicator: Melvin White

1. AW Parker (Drybrook) (Josh Ruck) — 187
2. Ammanford (Glyn Rhys Davies) — 185
3. Abergavenny Borough (Sean O'Neil) — 183
4. Lewis Merthyr (Craig Roberts) — 182

Best Instrumentalist: Grant Jameson (euphonium) — AW Parker (Drybrook)
Best Soprano: Tim Hughes (Ammanford)

Second Section:

Adjudicator: Melvin White

1. Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda (Alan F Gibbs) — 181
2. Abertillery & District (Josh Ruck) — 180
3. Crwbin (Craig Roberts) — 179
4. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett) — 178
5. RAF St Athan (Alan R Bourne) — 177
6. Penclawdd (Tony Small) — 176
7. Crosskeys Silver (Benjamin Atkinson) — 174
8. Melingriffith 2 (Andy Wareham) — 172

Best Instrumentalist: Rob Burnett (euphonium) — Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda

Third Section:

Adjudicator: Tom Hutchinson

1. Cwmtawe & District Youth (Wayne Pedrick) — 193
2. Upper Rhondda (Jayne Thomas) — 191
3. Ynyshir (Gary Davies) — 187
4. Usk Brass (Jeff Jones) — 184
5. Ogmore Valley Silver (Alice Jones) — 180

Fourth Section:

Adjudicator: Tom Hutchinson

1. Oakdale Silver (Kerry Bowden) — 185
2. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Jeff Hutcherson) — 181
3. Malvern Hills District (Chris License) — 177

Winning Conductor: Wayne Pedrick (Cwmtawe & District Youth)
Best Instrumentalist: Janet Wells (cornet) — Oakdale Silver
Best Euphonium: Huw Davies (Ynyshir)
Youngest Player: Lewis Griffiths (Ogmore Valley Silver)

Youth Section:

Adjudicator: Tom Hutchinson

Gold Awards:
Melingriffith Youth (M3) (Carol Flannery Davies)
Rhondda Fach Youth (Angela Westacott)

Silver Awards:
Cwmtawe Training (Chris Thomas)
Blaenavon Town Juniors (Evan Smith)

Bronze Awards:
BTM Learners (Lloyd Barnaby)
Abertillery Training (Lesley Taylor)
Melingriffith Beginners (Becky Cale)

Best Instrumentalist: Becca Evans (flugel) — Melingriffith Youth
Best Percussion Section: Rhian Evans, Iwan Hill, Luke Williams, Kayleigh Lewis, Noah Davies
Youngest Player: Megan Tovey (aged 5) — Blaenavon Town Juniors