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Bangor student wins National Composer's Medal

The Musician's Medal open competition at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2003 (Wales' foremost festival of Welsh Culture) asked for an original composition for piano solo in any form to last no longer than 6 minutes. There were ten competitors and the work was adjudicated by Iwan Llywelyn-Jones and John Jones. The winner was 19 yr old Owain Llwyd from Glyndyfrdwy in North Wales, a student in the School of Music at Bangor University - the youngest ever to receive this honour. This was his first attempt at the competition and the judges were unanimous that the work shows robust conviction and definite promise.

In addition to receiving the Musician's Medal given by the Welsh Music Guild, Owain received a cash prize of £500 which is given in memory of Mr and Mrs H.P.Davies, Welshpool and their son, Eryl. A scholarship worth £2,000 was also offered by the Wales-America National Institution to promote the career of the winning composer.

Owain Llwyd

The winning work entitled 'The Hidden Images' is a series of movements based on three images of places which are important to him. The work was composed in his Hall of Residence, Neuadd John Morris Jones, in Bangor and musical influences on the work are Impressionism, jazz and composers such as Ravel, Charles Ives and Bartok.

His musical highlights until now were the Chief Composer's Medal at the 2002 Cardiff Urdd National Eisteddfod and winning the piano solo at the National Eisteddfod three times in succession. He also won the highest instrumental award, the Blue Riband, at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2002 held in St. David's. This was for musicians aged between 16 and 19 and carried a prize of £2000.

In December 2004, Owain will be performing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 with the University Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra will also be performing an orchestral overture by Owain.

To find out more about Owain Llwyd you can visit his website at: www.owainllwyd.com