Gwen Elin wins Bryn Terfel Urdd Scholarship
Sunday evening, 25 October, 2015 singer Gwen Elin from Benllech, Angelsey, who is following a degree course at School of Welsh, 黑料不打烊, won the prestigious Urdd Gobaith Cymru Bryn Terfel Scholarship in a spectacular concert held in Blackwood Miners鈥� Institute. The Scholarship, which is worth 拢4,000, was presented to her in the concert that was broadcast live on S4C.
Gwen took the top spot after impressing five expert judges, Stifyn Parri, Gwawr Owen, Gwenan Gibbard, Si芒n Teifi a Catrin Lewis Defis. Gwen鈥檚 repertoire included 鈥榊n Sydyn Seymour鈥� from 鈥楲ittle Shop of Horrors鈥� and 鈥榊 Dewin a Fi鈥� from the 鈥楽ide Show鈥� musical. In the lead-up to the Scholarship concert, she had a master class with West End star, Connie Fisher.
Gwen is a member of Aelwyd yr Ynys, Theatr Fach Llangefni and C么r Merched Llewyrch, and she and her Brother Deio recently formed a new children鈥檚 singing party in the Benllech area called Plant Mathafarn.
Gwen said, 鈥淚t was an amazing experience competing tonight and everyone were fantastic 鈥� I didn鈥檛 expect to win at all! It is a bizarre feeling and I just can鈥檛 believe that I have won!
鈥淚 intend to use the money to fund a post-grad degree in music and theatre 鈥� either in London or Cardiff.鈥�
Stifyn Parri, one of the panellists said, 鈥淭he standard was excellent tonight and we could have given the scholarship to any of the six performing but it was Gwen鈥檚 performance that made the mark 鈥� there was something magical about her performance that mesmerised the audience.
鈥淚t was hard to come to a decision and every one of them had their merits but we were all agreed that Gwen was the deserved winner of the scholarship tonight.鈥�
Aled Sion, Director of the Eisteddfod, added, 鈥淲e had a spectacular concert tonight at the Miners鈥� Institute in Blackwood. It was great that these talented winners returned to the Caerphilly area to compete for this prestigious scholarship. I am confident that winning this scholarship will be a big boost to Gwen鈥檚 performing career and I look forward to following her success in the future.鈥�
Dr Manon Wyn Williams, a lecturer in drama and scriptwriting in the School of Welsh and the winner of the Bryn Terfel Scholarship in 2008, said:
鈥淎s a member of Ysgol y Gymraeg鈥檚 staff and as a friend of Gwen, I鈥檓 extremely proud of her achievement and I鈥檓 glad that her talent has been recognised on a national stage. Winning this scholarship will be a strong foundation for a thriving livelihood in the future.鈥�
Publication date: 26 October 2015