London Welsh Young Musician

London Welsh Young Singer Competition
2024

Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain
2024

The London Welsh Young Singer Competition returned on 16 February 2024 as part of the inaugural Festival of Welsh Music in London. The event took place at The Welsh Church of Central London on Eastcastle Street.

And the winner is …   

Dychwelodd Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain ar 16 February 2024 fel rhan o ŵyl agoriadol Gŵyl Cerddoriaeth Gymreig Llundain. Cynhaliwyd y gystadleuaeth yng Nghapel Cymraeg Canol Llundain, Eastcastle Street. 

Yr enillydd yw …

Owain Rowlands

London Welsh Young Singer for 2024

Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain 2024

Owain Rowlands (baritone) was awarded the Kenneth Bowen Prize for 1st place. He was also the recipient of our coveted Audience Prize, voted favourite on the night by the audience at the Final for his Welsh language song performance during the Festival’s Night of the Choirs Concert.


Owain Rowlands (bariton) oedd enillydd Gwobr Kenneth Bowen Prize am y safle 1af. Fo hefyd oedd derbynnydd  Gwobr y Gynulleidfa yn dilyn pleidlais yn ystod y rownd derfynol - rhan o Gyngerdd Noson y Corau -  am ei berformiad o gan Gymraeg. 

Robert Lewis (tenor) 

Timothy Brennan Prize for 2nd place
Gwobr Timothy Brennan Prize am yr 2il safle

Emyr Lloyd-Jones (tenor)

Martin Thomas Prize for 3rd place
Gwobr Martin Thomas am y 3ydd safle  

Runners-Up were  | Yn y rownd derfynnol oedd:

Llinos Haf Jones (mezzo soprano) 

Ffion Thomas (soprano).

Preliminary Competitors | Yn y Rhagbrawf 

The preliminary event featured some wonderful performances from our talented preliminary competitors  |  Cawsom berfformiadau gwych yn y rhagbrawf gan yr ymgeiswyr  talentog canlynol: 

Grace Hope-Gill (soprano)

Rhian Amy Louise Davies (contralto)

Eleanor Woods (soprano)

Dafydd Allen (tenor)

Judges | Beirniaid 

Many thanks to the competition judges  |  Diolch yn fawr i feirniaid y gystadleuaeth: 

Owain Arwel Hughes CBE

Prof. Paul Mealor LVO CSTJ

Jessica Robinson


Also to our accompanist throughout the day  |  Diolch hefyd i gyfeilydd y dydd:

Dafydd Chapman

Sponsors

The festival couldn’t have taken place without the support of our kind and generous sponsors:

Geraint and Meurig Bowen donated a prize for the London Welsh Young Singer Competition in memory of their father, Kenneth Bowen, who, following a career as a tenor of international renown, formed the London Welsh Chorale and was its Musical Director from February 1983 to December 2008. He also enjoyed serving as an Adjudicator of many past London Welsh Young Singer competitions. 

Emma Davies donated a prize to the London Welsh Young Singer Competition in memory of her partner, Tim Brennan, who sang with the Chorale as a tenor and was a fervent supporter. We miss him hugely. 

Paul Foster donated to the Festival in memory of his wife, Jan, who was so supportive of the London Welsh Chorale. We miss her lovely smile beaming out from the front row at every concert.

Geraint Lewis gave invaluable advice on how to run the London Welsh Young Singer Competition, which he helped organise in its former incarnation, and donated towards the running of the this relaunch. 

Martin, Baron Thomas of Gresford OBE, KC donated a prize for the London Welsh Young Singer Competition. Martin is the Honorary President of the London Welsh Chorale.

Grateful thanks also for generous donations from: Lisa Carlisle, Ann Green, Kadia Harrison, Bethan Hughes, Haydn and Susan Jones, Elisabeth Siberry, Alison and Terry Stacey, Lynne and Peter Tew, Gwenllian Williams, J Williams, David Young

Noddwyr 

Ni fyddai wedi bod yn bosib cynnal yr ŵyl heb gefnogaeth ein noddwyr hael a charedig:

Rhoddodd Geraint a Meurig Bowen wobr ar gyfer Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain er cof am eu tad, Kenneth Bowen, a ffurfiodd Corâl Cymry Llundain yn 1983 yn dilyn gyrfa ryngwladol fel tenor o fri, ac a fu’n Gyfarwyddwr Cerdd y côr hyd at Ragfyr 2008. By hefyd yn mwynhau beirniadu Cystadlaethau Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain y gorffennol.

 

Rhoddodd Emma Davies wobr ar gyfer Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain er cof am ei phartner, Tim Brennan, aelod a chefnogwr brwd o’r Corâl. Mae colled fawr i ni ar ei ôl.

 

Rhoddodd Paul Foster i’r ŵyl er cof am ei wraig, Jan, a fu mor gefnogol o Corâl Cymry Llundain. Rydym yn gweld eisiau ei gwên hyfryd yn rhes flaen pob cyngerdd.

 

Fel un o drefnwyr Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain yn ei ffurf gwreiddiol, rhoddodd Geraint Lewis gyngor amhrisiadwy ar sut i gynnal y gystadleuaeth, yn ogystal â cyfranu tuag at yr ail-lansiad yma.

 

Rhoddodd Martin Thomas, y Barwn Thomas o Gresffordd OBE, KC wobr ar gyfer Cystadleuaeth Canwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain. Martin yw Llywydd Anrhydeddus Corâl Cymry Llundain.

 

Diolch hefyd am roddion hael oddi wrth:

2025

In 2025, the Festival of Welsh Music in London plans to launch a brand new competition: London Welsh Young Instrumentalist. More details coming soon!

Mae Gŵyl Cerddoriaeth Gymreig Llundain  yn bwriadu lansio cystadleuaeth newydd ar gyfer 2025: Offerwr Ifanc Cymreig Llundain. Bydd mwy o fanylion ar gael yn fuan!