Students and former students of a local school have dominated at the Oswestry Youth Music Festival.
Ellesmere College and former Ellesmere College pupils turned in solid performances – competing in 34 of the 74 classes, winning 19 and achieving 59 out of 84 first, second and third places.
Student’s performances included the first rap in the festival’s history and a winner of the Oswestry Town Council Cup, with a brilliant performance of The Green Eyed Dragon.
Ellesmere College Director of Music Tony Coupe said: “Ellesmere has performed outstandingly well at this year’s Oswestry Youth Music Festival, achieving a very high level of results for individual level as well as unforgettable performances from our ensembles.
“In the final I was very proud that six of the 14 finalists were from Ellesmere. We achieved a fantastic set of results from a very strong field and I am proud of each and every one of our participants.
“It has been a delight to hear live music once again and my thanks go to Sue Turner and the stewards for organising the Festival.
“We look forward to sharing some of these performances with parents and friends at our Lent Music Concert on Friday, March 25.”
The college traditionally performs particularly well in Vocal classes and this year won the 12&U, 15&U and 18&U classes as well as the 16&U, and 21&U Youth Choir classes with the Lower School Choir and Chapel Choir.
Singers Charlie Wood and Huw Lloyd took first and second place in the 18&U class with Lewis Reardon and Amy Storey-Gibbons taking joint third place.
Other class winners included Noah Fisher who gained first place with Your Song by Elton John and Duarte Gomez came in third when he became the first rapper in the Festival’s history.
Isobel Philbin won two categories with renditions of You Raise Me Up and On My Own, while other winners included Old Ellesmerians Kizzy Lumley-Edwards and Jakob Fradley, who was the winner of the Oswestry Town Council Cup.
Year 13 students Robyn Welti and Anouska Newton gave a winning performance of Songbird by Eva Cassidy and an energetic performances of The Bare Necessities and I’m a Believer by The Lower School Choir as well as Mr Blue Sky by The Chapel Choir ensured wins for both.
And when the Ellesmere College students picked up their instruments, they also impressed.
Year 12 student Molly Fry won for brass, Freddie Heasmer-Jones and Alex Hu in strings and Kit Fisher and Jack Arrowsmith on the drums.
The Lower School Band brought the Festival to life with their performance of Shake It Off by Taylor Swift and the Senior Orchestra performed a medley from Les Miserables, both securing wins in their classes.
For more information on music provision at Ellesmere College visit www.ellesmere.com.
Results:
Vocal: Isobel Philbin, 1st, Vocal Solo 12&U; Noah Fisher, 1st, Vocal Solo 15&U; Duarte Gomez, 3rd, Vocal Solo 15&U; Josh Norris, 2nd, Unaccompanied Folk Song 15&U; Lucy Chadwick, 3rd, Unaccompanied Folk Song 15&U; Anouska Newton and Robyn Welti, 1st, Vocal Duet 21&U; Lewis Reardon, 3rd, Vocal Solo Test Piece 18&U; Charlie Wood, 1st, Vocal Solo 18&U; Huw Lloyd, 2nd, Vocal Solo 18&U; Lewis Reardon, 3rd, Vocal Solo 18&U; Amy Storey-Gibbons, 3rd, Vocal Solo 18&U; Huw Lloyd, 2nd, Gilbert & Sullivan 21&U; Huw Lloyd, 2nd, Vocal Solo 21&U.
Musical Theatre: Eva Ford, 1st, 12&U; Tabitha Gallagher, 2nd, 12&U; Imogen Edwards, 3rd, 12&U; Isobel Philbin, 1st, 12&U; Ellesmere Heroes (KS2), 2nd, Up to 20 performers 12&U; Huw Lloyd, 2nd, 18&U; Amy Storey-Gibbons, 3rd, 18&U; Noah Fisher, 3rd, 15&U.
Strings: Alex Hu, 1st, String Solo 12&U; Kyara Heward, 3rd, String Solo 15&U; Freddie Heasmer-Jones, 1st, String Solo 15&U.
Instrumental Duet: Alfie and Freddie Heasmer-Jones, 2nd, 18&U; Alex Hu and Lucinda Bound, 1st, 12&U.
Woodwind: Emilia O’Mahoney, 3rd, Solo 15&U; Molly Fry, 3rd, Solo 18&U; Alfie Heasmer-Jones, 3rd, Solo 18&U; Molly Fry, 2nd, Solo 21&U.
Brass: Molly Fry, 1st, Solo 18&U; Molly Fry, 1st, Solo 21&U.
Piano: Yuening Li, 3rd, Piano Solo.
Drums: Kit Fisher, 1st, Solo 9&U; Kit Fisher, 1st, Solo 12&U; Alfie Heasmer-Jones, 3rd, Solo 21&U with Backing Track; Jack Arrowsmith, 1st, Solo 21&U with Backing Track; Noah Fisher, 2nd, Solo 15&U with Backing Track; Kit Fisher, 3rd, Solo 15&U with Backing Track; Freddie Heasmer-Jones, 3rd, Solo 15&U with Backing Track; Noah Fisher, 2nd, Solo 15&U.
Choir: Chamber Choir, 1st, Youth Choir 21&U; Ellesmere Youth Choir (Yrs 7&8), 1st, Youth Choir 16&U; Chapel Choir, 1st, Youth Choir 21&U.
Orchestra: Ellesmere Orchestra, 1st, 25&U; Ellesmere Rockers (LS Band), 1st, Instrumental Ensemble 15&U.
Old Ellesmerians: Jacob Fradley, 1st, Vocal Solo 21&U; 1st, Oratorio 21&U; 3rd, Opera 21&U. Rhian-Carys Jones, 3rd, Vocal Solo 21&U; 3rd, Oratorio 21&U. Kizzy Lumley Edwards, 1st Vocal Solo Test Piece 18&U; 2nd, Oratorio 21&U; 1st, Opera 21&U; 1st, Gilbert & Sullivan 21&U; 2nd, Vocal Solo 21&U; 1st, Musical Theatre 18&U.
