Community
Haverfordwest Singer on song at festival
SINGER Rowan Staden-Coates, of Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest was the overall winner of this year’s Secondary Schools Valero Music Festival.
The annual festival, which is organised by the Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service and sponsored by Valero, took place at Sir Thomas Picton School in Haverfordwest on Saturday (November 16).
Over 300 young musicians from the County’s eight county secondary schools took part in individual and ensemble competitions throughout the day.
Later in the evening an enthusiastic audience enjoyed a special concert showcasing the individual winners and the winners of the instrumental and vocal ensemble competitions.
Every secondary school in the county was represented by their school band or orchestra.
As the overall winner, Rowan Staden-Coates was presented with the Tim Bourne Memorial Cup. Earlier in the evening she had performed “Forsake me Not” by J. S. Bach, accompanied at the piano by her teacher Sarah Benbow.
Tuba player Aled Meredith-Barrett, of Ysgol Dewi Sant, was the winner of the Open Brass competition. He performed “Romanza” by Vaughan-Williams and was accompanied by Seimon Morris.
The Open String competition winner was Naomi Hunt from Greenhill School, who played “Polonaise Briliante” by Weieniawski on the the violin. She was accompanied by Anna Tiller. Hannah Taylor, of Greenhill School, was the winner of the Open Piano class. She is a pupil of Jan Hartzel and performed “Nocturne” by Grieg.
Marimba player Melissa Martin, of Sir Thomas Picton School, won the Open Percussion class. She performed “Prelude No1 for solo Marimba” by Rosauro.
The winner of the Open Woodwind class was flautist Amy Taylor, of Greenhill School, who performed “Hypnosis” by Ian Clarke accompanied at the piano by Stuart Evans.
The Open Vocal Ensemble class was won by Sir Thomas Picton Boy’s Quartet, who sang “Blue Moon” accompanied by James Olyott.
Saxophonist Molly Brick, of Tasker Milward School, was the winner of the Open Jazz competition. Her performance of “Georgia on my Mind” was accompanied by Clive Raymond.
The Open Ensemble competition was won by the Sir Thomas Picton year 12 group who performed an arrangement of part of Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No2”.
The invited professional adjudicators – Timothy Angel, voice; Adrian Morton , brass; , Lara James, woodwind; Christopher Lovegrove, piano; Denis Mahoney, ensembles; Robin Stowell, strings; Nick Baron, percussion – were greatly impressed with the high standard and strength of schools’ music on show from across the County.
Also performing at the evening concert were: Sir Thomas Picton School Orchestra (conducted by Melanie Walker); Ysgol Greenhill School Jazz Band (Paul Rapi); Milford Haven School Wind Band (Gareth Sanders Swales); Ysgol Dewi Sant School Orchestra (Tom Earey); Pembroke School Orchestra (Rebecca Whitehurst); Ysgol Bro Gwaun Orchestra (Phillipa Roberts); Ysgol y Preseli Wind Band (Gareth Sanders Swales) and Tasker Milward School Orchestra (Phillipa Roberts).
On behalf of Valero, William James said the company was very pleased to be involved in such a prestigious event featuring so many of the county’s talented young musicians.
County Music Co-ordinator and Festival MC Chris Llewellyn thanked the adjudicators, teachers, parents and students for making the Festival such a success.
“Once again the strength and quality of Pembrokeshire Schools’ music is evident at this event,” he said.
Community
Mayor of Bergen visits Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre
IT was a Mayoral gathering when the Burgermeisterin of Bergen, in Germany, paid a visit to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in the company of Councillor Aden Brinn, the Mayor of Bergen’s twin town, Pembroke.
There to meet Burgermeisterin Claudia Dettmar-Muller and her colleague Silvia Bothe were two former Mayors of Pembroke Dock, Councillors Pam George and Maureen Colgan, and trustees and volunteers who run the Centre. Joining them was Pembroke’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann Mortenson.
Trustee Peter Mitchell and colleagues gave a guided town of the Centre which has extensive displays on Pembroke Dock’s rich maritime and military history spanning just over two centuries, and its connections with RAF flying boats.
Pic By Martin Cavaney.
Community
Wonderful night at Haverfordwest Library for special Poet Laureate event
HAVERFORDWEST Library was delighted to be part of the prestigious Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024 with a special event on Friday, March 8.
Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman, Cllr Thomas Tudor extended a special welcome to the guests of honour: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage; his guests Owen Sheers and Bethany Handley; plus the winners of the recent library Poetry Competition.
The poetry began with writer, poet and disabled activist, Bethany Handley. Bethany campaigns for better access to nature for disabled people, and her work explores nature and disability, challenging the barriers that disabled people experience.
Bethany’s first poem was heartfelt and humorous about her experience of visiting a beach in her wheelchair. Her final poem also drew on her experiences, being a compilation poem of many well-intentioned, yet impractical or inappropriate, advice that she has received as a wheelchair user.
Owen Sheers is an award winning Welsh poet, author and playwright. He has twice won the Wales Book of the Year as well as the Hay Festival Poetry Medal.
His film-poem, the Green Hollow, about the Aberfan disaster, was BAFTA and Grierson nominated and won three BAFTA Cymru awards, including best writer.
Owen read an extract from the Green Hollow, bringing the horror of the disaster to life. He also read poems about parenthood and his experiences as a son and as a father.
The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.
Simon launched into a poem about humanity, the universe and working as one. He then used his back catalogue of poems written for music. His poems covered some unusually random themes, particularly those he crafted during the Covid pandemic.
He said that he’d even written a poem inspired by a Velux window and read a beautiful poem about laying in a hammock watching a pair of newly-weds sail overhead in a hot air balloon.
His performances were engaging, humorous and moving and he brought the words to life.
Simon also spoke warmly about the importance of libraries as a child but also as an adult travelling about the country, with libraries always offering a warm welcome.
Ashok Ahir, President of the National Library of Wales thanked the three poets and introduced the new exhibition in the gallery, Dylan: The Lyrical Life of Dylan Thomas.
The exhibition is open to the public until 14th September 2024. Further information can be seen online.
The event drew to a close as Cllr Tudor issued the prizes to the winners of the recent poetry eisteddfod competition. The competition celebrated the language, culture, heritage and literature of Wales.
The theme was Dylan Thomas. Entries could draw inspiration from any of his works or seek inspiration from a specific quote: “from where you are, you can hear their dreams”.
Entries received were of a high standard and were judged by Wendy Morse (leader of the Haverfordwest Library Poetry Group, who would welcome new members, contact Haverfordwest Library for more information); representatives from the Library staff and the National Library of Wales staff. The poems will be on display at Haverfordwest Library until the end of the Easter Holidays.
Prizes have been awarded to:
• Sian Davies: Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, adult written poem category
• James Purchase: I Shall go Gentle into that Good Night, adult written poem category
• Philippa Davies: Dylan is in the Library, adult spoken word category
• Tony Potts: Windfall, adult illustrated poem category
• John Matthews: Dylan Cwmdonkin, adult Welsh language category
• Ellie McGrath: It was all a Dream, 11-14 age category
• Skye-Lea Jones: Are you Listening?,11-14 age category
Thanks to the judges of the poetry competition and to Faber & Faber, who donated the book prizes in support of the Poet Laureate’s Library Tour.
Cllr Thomas Tudor said: “The Riverside opened its doors in December 2018 and has enjoyed many fascinating exhibitions since thanks to the continued partnership with the National Library of Wales.
“The Riverside was one of just six libraries to host this Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024.
“It is a fantastic achievement for Haverfordwest Library to be a part of these significant events, helping to raise the profile and regeneration of the County Town and I thank everyone who has worked hard to make the event a success.”
The event would not have been possible without the continued support from The National Library of Wales and Haverfordwest Town Council. The President of the National Library of Wales and the Mayor, Sheriff and Clerk of Haverfordwest Town Council were all present.
Charity
Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter
THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.
Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.
Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.
The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:
- Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
- Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
- Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
- Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
- Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
- St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.
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