The annual Secondary Schools' Instrumental Festival, organised by Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service and sponsored by Texaco, took place on Saturday at Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest.

Over 400 young musicians from the eight county secondary schools participated in the individual and ensemble competitions.

The invited professional adjudicators were Mr. Ted Wilson, strings and ensembles; Mr. Martin Ronchetti, woodwind; Ms. Georgina Davies, woodwind and ensembles; Mr. David Powell, percussion and modern ensembles; Mr. Dennis Mahoney, brass; Mr. Chris Lockley, piano and voice; Mr. Peter Esswood, strings.

Again this year the adjudicators were greatly impressed with the high standards and strength of music in the county.

At the evening concert, an enthusiastic audience enjoyed a feast of music. The master of ceremonies was Mr. Chris Llewellyn, the county music co-ordinator. On behalf of the festival sponsors Texaco, Mr. Phil Thompson expressed how pleased the company was to be able to be involved in this prestigious event featuring so many talented young musicians.

Performances were given by: Cerddorfa Ysgol y Preseli, conducted by Phil Roberts; Sir Thomas Picton School Orchestra, conducted by Tim Bourne; Ysgol Greenhill School Orchestra, conducted by Paul Rapi; Milford Haven School Wind Band, conducted by Mark Jones; Tasker Milward School Orchestra, conducted by Tim Bourne; Ysgol Dewi Sant School Orchestra, conducted by James Olyott; Pembroke School Concert Band, conducted by Sarah Richards; Cerddorfa Ysgol Bro Gwaun, conducted by John Jones.

Over 400 musicians played in their respective school ensembles, with the styles ranging from classical music to contemporary popular songs and film music.

Solo performances were given by the winners of the open competitions which had taken place earlier in the day.

Winner of the Open Brass was tenor horn player Rhiannon Griffiths from Ysgol y Preseli who played Variations on a Welsh Theme by Peter Kneale, accompanied at the piano by Susan Meredith-Jones.

Miranda Rees from Greenhill School was the winner of the Open Woodwind Class. She performed the Oboe Concerto by Belini, accompanied by Paul Rapi.

Viola player Amy Howell from Sir Thomas Picton School was the winner of the Open String competition. She performed Romanze by Bruch, accompanied by Richard Noyce.

Joel Rees from Greenhill School was the winner of the Open Percussion class and performed an arrangement of Monti's Czardas on the marimba, xylophone and glockenspiel.

The winner of the Open Piano class was Robert Hodge from Greenhill School who performed Brahms' Second Rhapsody.

Also performing were the winners of the open classical and modern ensembles.

The Sir Thomas Picton School Piano Trio of Verity Halls, Amy Howell and Huw Rees performed Nocturne by Bruch as winners of the Open Classical Ensemble class.

The winners of the Modern Ensemble competition were also from Sir Thomas Picton School. The band Bass Instinct - Amy Howell, James Isles, Charlotte Miles, James Waygood and Joanne Jenkins - performed the popular song, Stormy Weather.

The Sara Avent Cup was presented to Rachel Dixon, of Ysgol Dewi Sant, for being the most promising cellist at the festival.

On behalf of the adjudicators, Mr. Peter Esswood announced that the overall winner of this year's festival was oboist Miranda Rees from Greenhill School.

Once again the strength and quality of Pembrokeshire schools' music was evident at this event.

The young musicians of the county's secondary schools are grateful to Texaco for their sponsorship of this festival.

Results of the classes held during the day were as follows:

WOODWIND

Flute and Oboe Grade 4: 1. Charlotte Treharne, Greenhill; 2. Sebastian Buchert, Bro Gwaun; 3. Kayleigh Owen Russant, Pembroke; HC - Ami Pepper, Preseli, Preseli and Victoria Square, STP.

Clarinet and Sax Grade 4: 1. Peter Murphy, Milford, and Alex Warrington, Milford; 2. Alex Perkins, Dewi Sant; 3. Rachel Hobbs, Greenhill, and Ieuan Davies, Greenhill; HC - Ross Bullimore, Milford, Sarah Hawkins, Tasker Milward, and Sophie George, Greenhill.

Flute and Oboe Grade 5: 1. Rebecca Grey, Greenhill; 2. Stephanie Brown, Greenhill; 3. Olivia Lewis, STP, and Sarah Atherton, STP; HC - Dominic Conybeare, Tasker Milward, and Eleri Jones, Tasker Milward.

Clarinet and Sax Grade 5: 1. Emily Rastall, STP; 2. Mike Haworth, Tasker Milward; 3. Andrew Ross, Milford; HC - Katy Dennisan, Milford, Amy Cole, STP, and Alex Jowett, Dewi Sant.

Clarinet and Sax Grade 6: 1. Ross Bullimore, Milford; 2. Llinos Jones, Tasker Milward; 3. Rachel Hughes, Greenhill; HC - William Ainsworth, Pembroke, Katie Groves, Milford, and Joe Elliot, Greenhill.

Grade 7 Woodwind: 1. Kirsty Jones, Pembroke; 2. Sam Davies, Greenhill; joint 3. Serena May, Greenhill, and Gillian Roberts, Greenhill; HC - Emma Morgan, Pembroke.

Open Woodwind: 1. Miranda Rees, Greenhill; 2. Nathan Willis, Pembroke; 3. Stuart Picton, Milford; HC - Kathryn Asthenia, STP, and Simon Llewellyn, Milford.

BRASS

Grade 4: 1. James Brown, Milford; 2. Ben Meagher, Milford; 3. Gareth Butland, Pembroke; HC - Aimee Phillips, Bro Gwaun and Ross Williams, Milford.

Grade 5: 1. Matthew Jenkins, Bro Gwaun; 2. Hywel Davies, Bro Gwaun; 3. Daniel Harries, STP; HC - Ben Thorpe, STP, and Emma Anderson, Milford.

Grade 6: 1. Luke Jenkins, Bro Gwaun; 2. Aimee Hicks, Greenhill; 3. William Edwards, Greenhill; HC - Gemma Reynolds, Milford.

Grade 7: 1. Jocelyn Freeman, Dewi Sant; 2. Simon Lewis, STP; 3. Daniel Sajko, Preseli; HC - Joe Lewis, Greenhill.

Open: 1. Rhiannon Griffiths, Preseli; 2. Matthew Jenkins, Preseli; 3. Matthew Birch, Greenhill; HC - Lee Mottram, Pembroke.

STRINGS

Grade 4: 1. Eleanor Davies, Milford; 2. Hattie John, Dewi Sant; 3. Jessica Condon, STP; HC - Emily Davies, Preseli, and Liberty Rochford, Pembroke.

Grade 5: 1. Michael George, Tasker Milward; 2. Katy Thomas, Greenhill; 3. Georgina Stalbow, Milford.

Grade 6: 1. Georgina Cooper, Greenhill; 2. Laura Walker, STP; 3. Bronia Chichlowska, Dewi Sant.

Grade 7: 1. Anna Grace, Preseli; 2. Rebecca Meyrick, Preseli; 3. Sian Harries, Bro Gwaun.

Grade 8: 1. Jemma Slade, STP; 2. Hannah Rartall, STP; 3. Clara Waygood, STP.

Open: 1. Amy Howells, STP; 2. Claire Jones, Preseli; 3. James Waygood, STP; HC - Roxanne Giggens, Tasker Milward.

PIANO

Grades 4 and 5: joint 1. Steffan Messenger, Preseli, and Chantal Swales, Milford; 2. Emily Davies, Preseli; 3. Aaron Heyward, Greenhill.

Grade 6: 1. Alexandra Jowett, Dewi Sant; 2. Steffan Cioccotti; 3. Roanna Freeman, Dewi Sant; HC - Laura Court, Greenhill.

Grade 7: 1. Ruth Llewelyn, Bro Gwaun; 2. Sarah Spankie, Greenhill; 3. Benjamin Phillips, Dewi Sant; HC - Sian Harries, Bro Gwaun.

Open: 1. Robert Hodge, Greenhill; 2. James Waygood, STP; 3. Gareth Morgan, Netherwood; HC - Kate Morgan, Pembroke.

PERCUSSION

Open Kit: 1. Richard Lewis, Milford; 2. Shan McGarty, Dewi Sant; 3. Jay Greenish, Milford.

Open Orchestral Percussion: 1. Joel Rees, Greenhill; joint 2. Emily Lewis, Greenhill, and William Edwards, Greenhill; 3. Steffan Ciccotti; HC - Alice Cawley, Pembroke, and Christian Richardson, STP.

VOCALS

Vocal Classical Songs: 1. Sam Morris, Tasker Milward; 2. Kirsty Harris, Tasker Milward; 3. Jenny Clubbe, STP; HC - Harriet Lloyd, Tasker Milward

Vocal Non Classical Songs: 1. Lillie Flynn, Dewi Sant; 2. Liz Norman, Milford, and Lloyda Henton, Tasker Milward; 3. Elaina Hoss, Tasker Milward.

ENSEMBLES

Classical Ensemble Grade 5 and below: 1. Fishguard Ensemble; 2. STP Clarinet Quartet.

Classical Wind Ensemble Grade 8: 1. Pembroke Brass Sextet; 2. Brass, Percussion Ensemble, STP; 3. Trumpet Quartet, Milford.

Classical String and Brass Ensemble Grade 8: 1. Pembroke Brass Sextet; 2. Brass Percussion Ensemble, STP; 3. Trumpet Quartet, Milford.

Open Classical Ensembles: 1. Greenhill flute Quartet; 2. Pembroke Sax Trio; 3. Preseli Clarinet Trio.

Open Modern Ensembles: 1. Bass Instinct, STP; joint 2. Damaged Goods, Milford, and The Ooragnaks Soul Band, Dewi Sant; 3. Preseli Ensemble, Preseli; HC - The Peaches.

DUETS

Instrumental Duet: joint 1. Clara Waygood and Amy Cole, STP; 2. Nia and Mair Bell; 3. kate Morgan and Emma Newman, Pembroke; HC - Katie Dennison and Ross Bullimore, Milford.

Percussion Duet: 1. Richard Lewis, Milford, and James Iles, STP; joint 2. Ashley Huchings and Luke Beddis, Milford.

ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD

Grade 4: 1. Nia Davies, Tasker Milward; 2. Alice Tucker, STP; joint 3. Amy Yellard, STP, and Holly Harvat, Tasker Milward.

Grade 5: 1. Alex Ross, Milford; 2. Sarah Atherton, STP; 3. Kelly Frances, STP; HC - Stuart Picton, Milford, and Ffion Daniels, Preseli.