Ryan Howells, from Haverfordwest has been awarded the title of ‘Ty Cerdd Young Composer 2014’ for his work, ‘A Welsh Fantasy’.

He overcame strong competition from musicians throughout Wales who were required to write a six-minute piece for brass band.

Premiere

The winning piece will be premiered and recorded by the National Youth Brass Band of Wales at Canolfan Beaumaris on Friday 25th July when Ryan will formally receive the award and a prize of £1,000.

Dentistry student

Ryan is a 20 year old dentistry student at Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, whose involvement in music began when he took up the cello aged 8.

He later changed instruments when he joined Goodwick Brass on the tenor horn and subsequently went on to become a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

Ryan, who began composing at the age of 15, has attended the National Youth Orchestra of Wales’s Young Composer course and was the recipient of the Welsh Music Guild’s Young Composer of the Year in 2013.

The winning piece will be premiered and recorded by the National Youth Brass Band of Wales at Canolfan Beaumaris on Friday 25th July when Ryan will formally receive the award and a prize of £1,0004BR

Welsh composers

The competition, which was open to Welsh composers under the age of 25, attracted entries from postgraduates, conservatoire students and high school pupils with the youngest entrant being aged 16.

The judges (composer, Peter Reynolds, Ty Cerdd’s Director, Gwyn L. Williams and its Youth Music Manager, Matthew Thistlewood, conductor, Reid Gilje and the NYBBW Chairman, Tony Small) were impressed by the high standard and variety of entries.

They shortlisted three works for the award and gave highly commended status to pieces by Aled Start from Carmarthen and Aled Smith from Wrexham.