Tenor horn player Rhys Meredith-Barrett from Pembrokeshire College was the overall winner at this year’s Secondary Schools Valero Music Festival.

The annual festival, which is organised by Pembrokeshire County Council’s music service and sponsored by Valero, took place recently at Sir Thomas Picton School in Haverfordwest.

Over 200 young musicians from each of the county’s eight county secondary schools and Pembrokeshire College took part in individual and ensemble competitions throughout the day.

Later in the afternoon, an enthusiastic audience enjoyed a ‘Spotlight’ concert showcasing the individual winners and the winners of the instrumental and vocal ensemble competitions.

Music dervice coordinators Philippa Roberts and Sarah Benbow said they were proud of the young musicians’ enthusiasm and commitment.

“This concert is a celebration of their hard work and continued dedication,” said Philippa.

“We are also grateful to the Friends of Pembrokeshire Orchestra for providing refreshments, and who support the Music Service at events throughout the year.”

Karin Jenkins, the strings adjudicator and music service Manager for Swansea, said: “The high standard we have heard tonight can only be maintained with the continued support of the pupils’ schools, parents and instrumental teachers.”

The overall winner Rhys Meredith–Barrett was presented with the Tim Bourne Memorial Cup by Timothy Angel, the county music service manager and head adjudicator.

Earlier in the day, Rhys, who won the Open Brass competition, performed ‘Variations on a Welsh Theme’ by Peter Kneale.

Winner of the Open Woodwind competition was flautist Jemma Hurds who performed ‘Hypnosis’ by Ian Clarke.

The Open String competition winner was cellist Rhys Lewis from Sir Thomas Picton who performed ‘1st Movement from Sonata No.1 in E minor op.38’ by Brahms.

The Open Jazz winner was Thomas Carew on saxophone from Milford Haven School who performed ‘Against all odds’ by Phil Collins, arranged by Gareth Sanders-Swales.

Mia Childs from Sir Thomas Picton was the winner of the Open Piano class, performing ‘E minor nocturne’ by Chopin.

The Open Vocal Competition was won by Eleri Edwards from Sir Thomas Picton who sang ‘What kind of fool’ from Saturday Night Fever.

Meanwhile, the Open Percussion class winner was Philip Davies from Sir Thomas Picton who performed his own composition ‘A Drummers Odyssey’ for solo drum kit.

The Open Vocal Ensemble class winners were a vocal quartet from Sir Thomas Picton. Leah Bower, Eleri Edwards, Rhian Barwick and Jess Turfery performed ‘I won’t say I’m in love’ from Hercules.

The Open Instrumental Ensemble competition was won by the Sir Thomas Picton baroque trio, comprising Rhys Lewis (piano), Georgina Morris, (flute) and Rhianna Wade (’cello). They performed ‘Divertimento’ by Anthony Hedges.

The invited professional adjudicators - Timothy Angel, vocal; John Morgan, ensemble; Peter Fielding, woodwind; Robin Hackett, brass; Karin Jenkins, strings; Sarahjane Absalom, piano; Nick Baron, percussion and jazz - were greatly impressed with the high standard and strength of schools’ music on show from across the county.

County music coordinator Philippa Roberts thanked the adjudicators, teachers, parents and students for making the festival such a success.

Stephen Thornton, Valero public affairs manager, said: “Valero are once again very pleased to be able to support the Pembrokeshire music service and this wonderful festival for talented secondary school pupils from all across our county.

“The quality of musical ability on display across Pembrokeshire is something Pembroke Refinery is delighted to help nurture, and we congratulate all those taking part.”

The results of the competitions held during the day were as follows:

Woodwind

Grade five flute and oboe: 1. Lottie Howlett John (Pembroke School); 2. Lucas Geertman (Greenhill School); 3. Martha Owen (Sir Thomas Picton).

Grade six: 1. Sam Hodgson (Pembroke); 2. Cassandra Favorido (Pembroke); 3. Jake Watts (Ysgol y Preseli).

Grade seven: 1. Hope Yeates (Greenhill School); 2. Nell Evans (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. James Townsend (Sir Thomas School).

Grade five clarinet and sax: 1. Tom Wears (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Charlie Richards (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Elin Kimberley (Ysgol Dewi Sant).

Open Woodwind: 1. Jemma Hurds (Greenhill School); 2. Ella Townsend (Sir Thomas Picton); 3. Olivia Rogers (Pembrokeshire College); HC Thomas Carew (Milford Haven)

Brass

Grade four: 1. Robbie Davies (Ysgol Dewi Sant); 2. Ben Kimberley (Ysgol Dewi Sant); 3. Ollie Ryder (Milford Haven); HC Andrew Scott (Sir Thomas Picton), Jack Bruce (Ysgol y Preseli).

Grade five: 1. Idris Rutherford (Tasker Milward); 2. Billy Marsh (Ysgol Dewi Sant); 3. Joshua Musselwhite-Jerman (Sir Thomas Picton); HC Tomos Gwilliam (Ysgol y Preseli).

Grade six: 1. Alex Collinson (Greenhill); 2. Declan Connellan (Pembroke) and Lucy Anthony (Greenhill); 3. Imogen Stace-Smith (Greenhill) and Teifion Owen (Milford Haven).

Grade seven: 1. Rhys Evans (Milford Haven School).

Open Brass: 1. Rhys Meredith-Barrett (Pembrokeshire College); 2. Alys Owen (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Ross Owen (Milford Haven); HC Daniel Roche (Pembrokeshire College) and Rhiannon Andrasko (Ysgol y Preseli).

Strings

Grade seven: 1. Anwen Reed (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); 2. Rakshitt Vijayanarasimhan (Castle School); 3. Iago Evans (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); HC Hannah Moulder (Tasker Milward), Betty Freeman (Castle School), Annest Davies (Ysgol y Preseli).

Grade five: 1. Seren Griffiths (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Catrin Bishop (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Eve Mathias (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Maisie Kite, Rosie Harries, Emmie Tamilia (all Sir Thomas Picton).

Grade six: 1. Mia Childs (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. William Lewis (Ysgol Dewi Sant) and Holly Barlett (Greenhill School); 3. Anna Likeman (Ysgol Y Preseli).

Open Strings: 1. Rhys Lewis (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Charlie Richards (Ysgol Y Preseli), Rhianna Wade (Sir Thomas Picton) and Vaughan Batty (Ysgol Y Preseli); 3. Nia Lewis (Pembrokeshire College); HC Joe Likemann (Ysgol Y Preseli), Liliana Thompson (Greenhill School).

Woodwind/Piano

Flute and oboe grade four: 1. Charlotte Lewis (Pembroke School); 2. Cerys Walters (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Catrin Fletcher (Tasker Milward); HC Bethan Lewis (Milford Haven).

Clarinet and sax grade four: 1. Dylan Freeman (Pembroke School); 2. Leah Carroll (Pembroke School); 3. Seren Phillips (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Leti Dafydd (Ysgol y Preseli).

Grade four piano: 1. Jencyn Corp (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Harrison Goddard (Sir Thomas Picton); 3. Marged Harries (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Charlotte Harries (Pembroke School).

Grade five piano: 1. Seren Allen (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Isabel Howe (Ysgol Dewi Sant); 3. Nia Williams (Pembroke School).

Grade six-seven piano: 1. Iago Evans (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); 2. Imogen Grimes (Castle School); 3. Rhys Lewis (Sir Thomas Picton); HC Nell Evans (Ysgol y Preseli), Leti Dafydd (Ysgol yPreseli).

Open Piano: 1. Mia Childs (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Annest Davies (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Liliana Thompson (Greenhill School); HC Rhianna Wade (Sir Thomas Picton), Dominic Bell (Greenhill School).

Vocal

Musical Theatre and Classical Vocal Years 7-9: 1. Kiah Lindsey (Greenhill School); 2. Isabel Howe (Ysgol Dewi Sant); 3. Phebe Salmon (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); HC Lily Meddings (Milford Haven), Megan Poupard (Sir Thomas Picton).

Popular Vocal Years 7-9: 1. Janthine Aburido (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Phebe Salmon (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); 3. Seren Lewis (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Katie Davies (Milford Haven).

Popular Vocal Years 10-13: 1. Molly Thomas (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Orla Thornton (Pembrokeshire College); 3. Rebecca Harries (Milford Haven); HC Cerys Grant (Ysgol Bro Gwaun), Tessa Watson (Tasker Milward).

Musical Theatre and Classical Vocal Years 10-13: 1. Eve Humphreys (Pembrokeshire College); 2. Joanna Thomas (Ysgol Bro Gwaun); 3. Lea Bower (Sir Thomas Picton); HC Melissa Fletcher (Pembrokeshire College), Megan John (Sir Thomas Picton).

Vocal Ensemble: 1. STP Quartet; 2. STP Year 9/10 Girls Trio; 3. Pembrokeshire College Vocal Ensemble; HC STP Boys Vocal Trio and STP Year 8 Girls Trio.

Open Vocal: 1. Eleri Edwards (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Rachael Morgan (Ysgol y Preseli).

Ensemble

Grade five: 1. Preseli Quartet (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Ysgol Dewi Sant Quartet (Ysgol Dewi Sant).

Grade six-eight: 1. Milford Brass (Milford Haven); 2. STP Flute Quartet (Sir Thomas Picton); 3. Milford Haven Sax Quartet (Milford Haven); HC Greenhill Flute Trio (Greenhill School).

Instrumental duo: 1. Rhys Lewis and Rhianna Wade (Sir Thomas School); 2. Annest and Awen Davies (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Catrin Bishop and Sara O’Connor (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Bethan Powell and Chloe Morris (Pembroke School); HC Nia Williams and Charlotte Lewis (Pembroke School).

Open Ensemble: 1. STP Baroque Ensemble (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. ROAR Brass (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Greenhill Saxophone Quartet (Greenhill School); HC STP Percussion Ensemble (Sir Thomas Picton).

Percussion/Jazz

Kit percussion grade three-six: 1. Owen Thomas (Milford Haven); 2. Hannah Phillips (Pembroke); 3. Harvey Watts (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Joe Richards (Tasker Milward), Imogen Stace-Smith (Greenhill), Caitlyn Arran (Milford Haven).

Grade four strings: 1. Emily Davies (Ysgol y Preseli), Sarah Likeman and Daisy Whitfield (Ysgol y Preseli); 3. Molly Moore (Sir Thomas Picton); HC Finlay Ryder (Milford Haven), Enfys Griffiths (Ysgol y Preseli).

Jazz grade three-five: 1. Branwen Vaughan (Ysgol y Preseli); 2. Caitlyn Arran (Milford Haven).

Open Jazz: 1. Thomas Carew (Milford Haven); 2. Rhiannon Andrasko (Ysgol yPreseli); 3. Kara Hughes (Ysgol y Preseli), Noah Yeates (Greenhill School).

Open Percussion: 1. Philip Davies (Sir Thomas Picton); 2. Sara Llewellyn (Sir Thomas Picton); 3. Carys Underwood (Ysgol y Preseli); HC Dylan Sanders-Swales (Milford Haven School).

Grade four-six percussion: 1. Imogen Stace-Smith (Greenhill School).