Welsh dozen chosen for £10,000 shoot out

The 12 bands and ensembles that will battle for the televised title of 'Band Cymru 2014' and a £10,000 first prize have been announced.

Saturday, 01 February 2014

The twelve brass, wind and jazz bands that have qualified for the second round of the televised Welsh music competition ‘Band Cymru’ were announced live on national broadcaster S4C on Friday night.

£10,000

The ensemble competition has a first prize of £10,000 with the finals rounds broadcast by Rondo Media on S4C later in the year.

With no specific registration rules, each ensemble must consist of a minimum of 12 wind/brass instruments and a maximum of five members who do not play wind/brass instruments, such as percussion, piano, drums.

Following a series of broadcast auditions across Wales, where the ensembles anonymously recorded a short 15 minute programme set, the twelve finalists invited to appear at the Parc & Dare Theatre in Treorci during the weekend of 12th/13th April were chosen. The ensembles will be split into groups for four television programmes to decide each group winner.

Champion

Each ensemble has already been guaranteed £500 in prize money, with each group winner receiving a further £500. The overall champion wins the single £10,000 first prize.

The winner of the title ‘Band Cymru 2014’ itself will be chosen from the four group winners and will be announced live in a special television programme.

Eyebrows raised

There were a few eyebrows raised at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, with the announcement that BTM Band had been chosen, despite their recent confirmation that they would not be competing at the forthcoming Yeovil, Welsh Regional or Grand Shield competitions, Welsh Regional.

However, with no specific registration rules covering competing players, it was later unofficially confirmed on Twitter that the band would be taking part.

The 12 bands which will be appearing in the final rounds of are:

The winner of the title ‘Band Cymru 2014’ itself will be chosen from the four group winners and will be announced live in a special television programme4BR

Competitors:

Band Jazz Tryfan
BTM Band
Capital City Jazz Orchestra
Chamber Winds
Cory Band
James Clark's Lonely Hearts Rugby Club Band
Liberty Big Band
Northop Silver Band
Royal Welsh College Symphonic Brass
Teddy Smith Big Band
Tongwynlais Temperance Band
Tredegar Town Band

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