Following a successful residential course held at Manor Adventure’s Abernant Lake Hotel, the Rhonnda Fach Youth Band rounded their weekend off with a concert performance given to a packed audience of family and friends.

Formed in October 2014 between two parent bands of Tylorstown and Ynyshir as an initiative to encourage youth brass music in their area, the initiative was the latest step an ambitious development programme partly funded by the Ty Cerdd Lottery Youth Fund. 

Inspiring

Following sectionals and full band rehearsals supported by tutors Rob Westacott, Carol Flanary-Davies, Dean Evans, Mair Evans, Sarah Burgess, Geraint Thomas and Angela Westacott, who led a number of items from the rostrum, it proved to be both an entertaining as well as inspiring concert.

the initiative was the latest step an ambitious development programme partly funded by the Ty Cerdd Lottery Youth Fund. 

Contrasts came with items such as the movie theme, ‘Axel F’ and the Welsh lullaby ‘Calon Lan’, ably led by Cari Jones on euphonium .

‘Car Wash’, ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Liberty Bell’, ‘Marry You’, ‘Movie Night’ (featuring Iwan Hill on flugel with the back row cornets setting the scene), Take That’s ‘Rule the World’, introduced by the horn and baritone section, all led into Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, with an encore of ‘Hey Jude’.

Super performance

Principal cornet Katie Hill also gave a super performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Think of Me’ to add up to a fine way to round off an excellent initiative; imaginative, encouraging and inspiring, with great credit to the everyone involved – especially all the youngsters who showcased their emerging talents.

David Jane