The Young Musician Competition organised by the Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland is usually just an instrumental one, but this year a vocal competition was added. It proved a resounding success when five young ladies competed for the first prize. The standard was incredibly high and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience at the ideal location of Lampeter House, Lampeter Velfrey, thanks to the hospitality of Mami and Julian Williamson.

Taking part in the vocal competition were Caryl Lewis, Hannah Watkins, Blythe Davies, Sioned Llewellyn and Maeve Wells - from Ysgol y Preseli.

After some deliberation, the judges (Heather Jenkins and Hefina Jones) chose Sioned Llewellyn as the winner for her superb performance of Handel's Lascia chio Pianga and Fairhouse of Joy by Quilter. Sioned will now go forward to the Area competition which is the next step in the quest to find the eventual National winner.

In the instrumental competition, the participants were Dominic Ciccotti (piano), Micayla Tose (clarinet), Charlie Kind (cello) and William Cope (clarinet). Expressive performances of Annees de Pelerinage by Liszt and Nocturne by Poulenc earned pianist Dominic Ciccotti (Ysgol y Preseli) the winner's prize and he now progresses in the Instrumental section of competition. The judges were Tim Bourne and Joanne Underwood.

President Graham Haddleton, of the Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland, thanked the competitors, accompanists, judges and everyone who had contributed towards the evening.

"This is the first year we have had a vocal competition," he said, "and it has been a notable success. We all look forward to next year, but in the meantime we wish our two winners every success in the coming rounds."

The event was superbly organised by Youth Opportunities chairman Rob Elward, who also acted as MC for the evening.