Ffion and her cornet representing Wales in Europe

A student from the School of Welsh at Bangor has been selected to represent Wales in the European Youth Brass Band. Ffion Haf Williams, a first year student who’s studying a degree in Welsh was chosen after she auditioned for the Wales Youth Brass Band playing her cornet.

Ffion who’s originally from Pembrokeshire admits that this is some achievement as only two people from each country are selected to represent their nation in Europe. She said,

“It’s such an honour to be chosen. I’m quite proud of myself. I had a message on my answer phone after a trip to Ireland. I hadn’t checked my phone for days as there was no signal but on the way back I listened to the message and yes it was a very nice feeling to be selected.”

Ffion will be travelling to Rotterdam in the Netherlands to play the cornet with the European Youth Brass Band in late April. She added,

“I’ve been playing the cornet since I was about 8 years old and I’m not quite sure how it started to be honest. I think it was due to the fact that I was a very impatient child and an instrument with only three buttons appealed to me whereas the piano was too much. So I think that’s how I got into it and then I joined a band and improved my skills.”

Ffion came to Bangor University after being impressed with the School of Welsh on an Open Day. The academic staff made a good impression on the day and one year on she’s still enjoying the diversity of the course. She added,

“I really enjoy the creative writing elements of the course but I also enjoy the medieval literature such as the Mabinogi, Taliesin and Aneurin. It’s great to be taught by lecturers who are really successful in their own field.”

Watch a video of Ffion Haf on BangorTV (Welsh medium video)

Publication date: 23 March 2012