One of the final musical events to be organised on behalf of Gwent Music Support Services by their highly respected Service Manager Alun F Williams was this end of term celebratory afternoon concert in Newport.

Fitting way

After close on 40 years of enlightened leadership of one of the UKs leading local authority peripatetic music providers, it was a fitting way for him to bow out - with the latest batch of talented youngsters fresh from their successful appearance at the Music for Youth Festival in Birmingham.

They were joined by their British Open champion guests, with Tredegar’s MD Ian Porthouse leading the tributes and highlighting the way in which Alun had led the service through times of financial plenty as well as more recent local authority austerity - never for once allowing the standards of tuition and performance to be compromised in any manner. 

Reception

The warmth of the reception given by the current crop of young players and audience on the presentation of gifts to mark his contribution to youth music making in Wales and beyond spoke volumes. He will be missed.

The Open champion joined the celebratory mood in relaxed form - providing a programme of favourites and lollipops that was geared neatly to meet the expectations of the audience on a warm Sunday afternoon. 

Slick and polished

Slick presentation and choreography, polished ensemble playing and high quality solo playing was served up from the opening ‘Blackbird Special’ all the way through to ‘Glorifico Aeternum’ to close the first half. 

Soloists Dewi Griffiths, Hannah Drage and Matthew White were classy leads, whilst the band moved smoothly through the gears with the likes of ‘Folk Festival’, ‘Call of the Brave’ and Jacob Larsen’s ‘A Time for Us'. 

Massed bands

The second half was massed bands time - with vibrant performances of ‘Nightingale Dances’, ‘The Smile’, ‘Riverdance’, ‘Little Hymn’ and ‘Ad Astra’ providing the young Gwent players ample opportunity to showcase their abilities much to the delight of the Tredegar players sat next to them.

A rousing foot tapping blast through ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams provided an up to date encore that left the audience more than pleased with their afternoon’s musical outing .

Iwan Fox