Young Gwent musicians tune up for glittering festival (From South Wales Argus)

Young Gwent musicians tune up for glittering festival

7:10am Friday 15th March 2013 in News

NEARLY 4,000 young musicians from schools and music centres across the region took part in The Gwent Festival.

The two-day event was organised by the Gwent Music Support Service as part of the Music for Youth Regional Festival series 2013, and was held at the Newport Centre at the weekend.

It is part of the world’s largest youth music festival, which takes place during February and March and involves 50,000 musicians and singers from across the UK.

More than 110 groups and 3,800 young musicians from Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen took part in the festival.

Musicians from infants, primary and secondary schools performed on the first day of the festival, while groups from music centres and students from all the four authorities performed on the second day.

Alun Williams, head of the service, said there was an excellent variety, diversity and standard of music performed by the youngsters, who were aged from four to 19.

At the end of each session, the groups received feedback from the music mentors, who included Eric Tebbett and Gwyn Parry Jones.

Mr Williams said: “The Music for Youth season is designed to inspire, nurture and support musicians at every level of experience.

“We want everyone coming to a festival to get the most out of it – meet other musicians, try something new and leave feeling inspired.”

The Gwent Music Support Service has been associated with Music for Youth for many years and the first Gwent Regional Festival took place in County Hall, Cwmbran, in March 1992.

See more pictures from this event