Ysgol Tryfan’s Jazz Band from Bangor have won the televised Band Cymru Youth competition, claiming the first prize of £1,000 in front of a packed audience at the Grand Hall of Swansea University and an audience of tens of thousands watching on S4C.
Led by Mr Hefin Evans, ‘Band Jazz Ysgol Tryfan’ were the only single school band to reach the final, and so it was a great achievement to defeat Cardiff & Vale Music Service Jazz Orchestra, Torfaen Youth Big Band and the defending champion Greater Gwent Youth Band in the final.
Band Jazz Ysgol Tryfan played three pieces – ‘Uptown Funk’, ‘Li’l Darlin’ and ‘Latin Fantasy’, and when announcing the winners in a high standard competition, the adjudicators referred to their complete performance and their musical accuracy.
The band which features pupils from Year 7 to Year 12, dressed in cool ‘Blues Brothers’ white trilby hats and sunglasses they opened with the choreographed ‘Uptown Funk’, before moving into a suave ‘Li’l Darlin’ and closing with an exciting rendition of ‘Latin Fantasy’
Adjudicator Branwen Gwyn said. “The music making was superb, the whole theatre of the performance worked really well and they finished off with a bang.”
Mr Hefin Evans said: “I’m in shock, we are delighted with the award, they have worked so hard and as you can see they are over the moon. Usually I have plenty to say, but I am speechless receiving this award.”
“It was an incredible achievement, as the ensemble hails from a single school of less than 500 pupils which rehearses once a week to meet their ambition of competing at the highest level.”
Photo: S4C
