IT'S all about music for the major event on the Urdd Eisteddfod Maes today.

The main ceremony at the Denbigh Eisteddfod is for the 2022 composer medal.

Open to composers under the age of 25, judges have shortlisted three people for the main honour.

It is sponsored by Côr Rhuthun and the adjudicator will be Mared Emlyn.
Gwydion Powel Rhys, 19, is from Rachub near Bethesda in Gwynedd.

He’s a former Ysgol Llanllechid (primary) and Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen (secondary) pupil and is about to complete his first year at the Royal College of Music in London.

Over the years he’s received musical lessons (piano and cello) at Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, Caernarfon and the junior department of the Northern College of Music, Manchester (the JRNCM).

He has been a regular competitor at the Urdd Eisteddfod over the years, coming third in the composition medal competition twice before (in 2017 and 2020).

Although his passion is composition, he still enjoys performing, and is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, the North Wales Camerata, and the Imperial College Orchestra in London.

 

Denbighshire Free Press: Ryan Howells won the composer medal at the 2017 Urdd EisteddfodRyan Howells won the composer medal at the 2017 Urdd Eisteddfod

 

A former Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw pupil, Kai Edward Fish studies dance, drama and music at Hereford Sixth Form College and hopes to attend Bird College in September to pursue a BA in professional dance and musicals.

Kai wrote a musical for LGBTQ+ company, Leeway, called Firefly and has received several awards for the National Theatre and Theatr Iolo for his play, choke. Kai is a keen Urdd Eisteddfod competitor - his favorite competitions are street dance / disco.

Shuchen Xie is 12 years old and a pupil at St John's College, Cardiff. She is passionate about music as a hobby.

She plays the piano, saxophone, and cello. She also studies composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Junior Conservatoire, which she has been doing for three years.

Composition has appealed to Shuchen greatly, she was a finalist in the NCEM & BBC Radio 3 Young Composer's Award 2021 (a competition for under 18s) and has won multiple awards at the annual Abertawe Festival for Young Musicians.

READ: Get on the bus to enjoy the Eisteddfod

She’s a familiar face on the Urdd Eisteddfod stage having previously participated in music competitions – she won the junior piano and composition competition last year.

The competition requirements were to compose either a cycle of songs to Welsh lyrics of the competitor’s choice; a part-song or chorus to Welsh lyrics of the competitor’s choice; a composition for one or two instruments or a composition for an instrumental ensemble. 

The winning composer will be announced in the main ceremony on the Cyfrwy stage at 3pm today.