Final call to talented young musicians in Flintshire to pitch for top title

A final call out has gone out to talented young musicians in Flintshire to bid for a prestigious title and cash prizes of £4,000.

Royal composer Paul Mealor says the Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition at the North Wales International Music Festival could provide a big boost to their fledgling careers.

The competition is now in its second year following a successful launch last year.

Entries are being sought from instrumentalists and singers to take part in the 2025 competition during the festival at St Asaph Cathedral from September 11 to 20.

Anybody wanting to compete needs to upload a video or audio clip and complete an application form before the final deadline at 5pm on Friday, July 4. More details on how to enter are available on the festival’s website, https://nwimf.com  

The competition is being funded by the festival’s headline sponsors, the Pendine Park care organisation via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust which supports community and arts activities.

The winner will lift the silver Pendine Trophy along with a cash prize of £2,000. There is a second prize of £1,000 and two runners up will each receive £500.

The performances of all four finalists will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Cymru.

The competition judges are Professor Helena Gaunt, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; Rebecca Evans CBE, world-renowned operatic soprano;  and Alun Jones, the festival’s Executive Vice-Chair and former Principal of Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester.

While the judges are making their deliberations, the audience will be entertained by last year’s winner, harp virtuoso Heledd Wynn Newton, from Cardiff.

The competition was devised by Professor Mealor in association with Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, the arts loving owners of Pendine Park.

Prof Mealor said: “It’s not too late for young musicians to enter the competition – there’s still a few weeks left.

“We’ve already had a load of entries but we want to make sure we reach out to rising stars in every corner of Wales.

“If there’s any young instrumentalists or vocalists who want to have a chance to win thousands of pounds in prize money and to perform live on BBC Radio Cymru, they need to get their skates on.

“It’s a very special competition that can launch a career and we’re indebted to Pendine Park for sponsoring it.

“The people who reach the final will all win a generous cash prize while the winner will be presented with a magnificent silver salver donated by Pendine and be invited to perform next year as well.

“The competition is open to young musicians either born or living in Wales or who are Welsh nationals living abroad. Entrants must have been aged under 21 on January 1, 2025, to be eligible to compete. If you’re under 18 you will need the permission of your teacher or parent to enter.

“They will need to upload their performance via a link on the festival’s website and it will be judged anonymously.

“A group of them will be chosen to compete in the semi-final to perform a 10-minute programme, with four going forward to the final the following night.”

Mario Kreft said: “After the success of the inaugural competition last year we’re really excited about the prospects for the 2025 contest.

“Our aim is to encourage and foster young, emerging talent and the Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition has all the makings of a very prestigious event. I think in years to come it will be one of the premier competitions for young musicians and will hopefully assist them and propel them in their careers.

“From our perspective it totally fits in with our ethos as an inclusive, inter-generational care group. We recognise how important the arts are to our lives in all its forms. Music matters just as much to people who live and work in social care as it does to young and old in the wider society.”

“Like Paul, I would urge young musicians right across Wales to submit their entries now. We can’t wait to hear them perform, and to follow their futures in the world of music.”

The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday, July 4, and entry forms can be downloaded at: https://nwimf.com/en/2025-pendine-young-musician-of-wales-competition

The North Wales International Music Festival 2025 will be held from September 11-20 at St Asaph Cathedral. Tickets go on sale from Thursday, June 12.