Top 12 picked for Band Cymru semi finals

Twelve ensembles have been chosen for the semi-final rounds of the Band Cymru competition — with a £10,000 first prize up for grabs.

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

The Welsh language television channel S4C has announced the list of twelve ensembles that have made it through to the semi-final stage of the 2016 Band Cymru competition.

10 brass bands

Following the success of the first Band Cymru competition in 2014, competition organisers Rondo Media made the announcement live on the S4C news programme Heno on Friday evening — with 10 brass bands, a jazz orchestra and a student chamber winds orchestra making it through to try and win the £10,000 first prize.

2014 winners Cory were not allowed to compete in the contest.

Youth contest

The names of the four bands that will compete in the brand new competition for musicians under 18 years of age, Band Ieuenctid Cymru 2016, with a first prize of £1,000, were also revealed.

Four semi-finals will take place at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Saturday 9th April and Sunday, 10th April, with the best four bands from the broadcasts (regardless of which semi-final they are grouped in) qualifying for the final to be held at Treorchy's Parc & Dare Theatre, on Sunday, 22nd May and shown live on S4C.

Band Cymru:

BTM, RWCMD Brass Band, City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) M1, Llwydcoed, Northop,Burry Port Town, Tongwynlais Temperance, Tredegar, Tylorstown, Beaumaris, Capital Jazz Orchestra and RWCMD Chamber Winds.

Band Ieuenctid Cymru:

Greater Gwent Youth Band, Band Jazz Tryfan, Gwent Youth Wind Orchestra and Cardiff and Vale Music Service Youth Jazz Orchestra.

The Band Ieuenctid Cymru 2016 final will also take place at the Parc & Dare Theatre, on Saturday, 21st May.

Imagination

Elen Rhys, S4C's Entertainment Content Commissioner told 4BR: "The Band Cymru 2014 competition certainly caught the imagination of the audience, proving that Wales is not only the land of song but of the instrumentalists.

S4C is very pleased to be able to extend this competition to include a live final and a brand new competition to include youth bands. We will celebrate the sounds of these bands in what promises to be a very exciting competition."

The Band Cymru 2014 competition certainly caught the imagination of the audience, proving that Wales is not only the land of song but of the instrumentalistsElen Rhys, S4C's Entertainment Content Commissioner

Tickets

Tickets to be part of the audience in Aberystwyth and Treorchy are free of charge.

Contact Rondo Media on 029 2022 3456 orbandcymru@rondomedia.co.uk

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