The Judges
Ieuan Jones
Caroline Emery
Ian Jones
Miriam Hughes
Ieuan Jones
At the age of thirteen, Ieuan Jones was the youngest member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales where he gained valuable early orchestral experience with Marie Goosens. At sixteen, he moved on to the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain where he came into contact with Marisa Robles who later became his tutor at the Royal College of Music 1981-1985.
Upon leaving the RCM in 1985, Ieuan was awarded the Queen Mother’s Rose Bowl for the most distinguished student of his year and the Tagore Gold Medal. In the same year, he won the Royal Overseas League International Commonwealth Competition and became runner up at the prestigious Israel International Harp Competition in Jerusalem…a feat not since repeated by any harpist.
Having toured as a solo harpist to great critical acclaim playing at many renowned Concert Halls and Festivals all over the world…including the Melbourne Festival, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Japan, Manila, Bangkok, Brunei, Singapore, Poland and many more, Ieuan’s work is now concentrated on teaching at the Royal College of Music in London where he has been a Professor since 1997.
Caroline Emery
Caroline Emery’s contribution to the double bass world is unique. Having graduated from Conservatoire and subsequently gained a teaching qualification, she became the leading exponent of the Yorke Mini-Bass Project from its inception in 1984. Caroline focuses at present in training talented advanced students and young professionals, whilst also continuing to teach younger students.
Caroline has a special interest in training bassists through the use of chamber music. She is responsible for many new works, 5 bass Concertos, 52 Quartets, 5 Quintets, 5 Octets, one dectet, one Do-dectet 5 trios, one duo, and two works for bass and saxophone and two works for bass and harp.
She works closely with the composers Jan Alm, Gareth Wood and Edwin Roxborugh.
Recent masterclasses and workshops have taken Caroline to Singapore, Washington, Canada, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Spain. Links with Scandinavia are particularly strong. She is Director of Bass Club and has run International Summer Courses for over 30 years.
Ian Jones
Ian Jones’ career as a Steinway Artist has taken him to all five continents. Appearances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra at London’s Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Hall include critically acclaimed performances of Rachmaninov’s Second and Third Piano Concertos and Paganini Rhapsody as well as concertos by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Grieg and Schumann. He has appeared in Paris and throughout France as concerto soloist with the Ensemble International and has performed many of Mozart’s piano concertos in Europe and USA.
Ian Jones is much sought-after as a teacher and his students have enjoyed international success. He is Artistic Director of the World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competition and often serves on the juries of other international piano competitions. He frequently examines and adjudicates at other leading conservatoires, including the Royal Academy of Music in London and regularly performs and conducts international masterclasses.
Miriam Hughes
Miriam Hughes was born and raised in Wrexham, Wales and began playing the flute at the age of 8. From a young age she was successful in many national competitions, including winning the main instrumental prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2002.
She studied the flute at the Royal Northern College of Music with Laura Jellicoe and took part in many masterclasses with world renowned flautists including Sir James Galway, Michael Cox, William Bennett and Wissam Boustany to name but a few.
Miriam’s orchestral experience includes performances with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, National Symphony Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra, Welsh Chamber Orchestra and the Welsh Pops Orchestra.
Miriam is also a keen chamber musician and soloist and as well as performing classical repertoire is passionate to promote new music – especially music that shows a new side to the flute.
Official Accompanists
Conal Bembridge-Sayers
Originally from North Wales, pianist and conductor, Conal Bembridge – Sayers studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating with a Master of Arts in Collaborative Piano.
Formally a full time member of music staff at Opera Vlaanderen, in Belgium, Conal regularly works with companies such as Welsh National Opera and the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, and has been recognised with a number of awards including; the Sam Hutchings Pianist Prize, Roderick Bryson Memorial Opera Conductors Prize, Simon Clarkson Memorial Award for Outstanding All Round Musicianship, and Mansel Thomas Award for Music.
As a recitalist Conal has performed at the Leeds Lieder Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Ludlow English Song Festival, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, Tenby Arts Festival, Oundle International Music Festival, and St.Martin’s in the Fields. He has also been an official accompanist at the Urdd and National Eisteddfodau, and Malcom Martineau’s Oxenfoord International Summer School.
He is in demand as a conductor/chorus master and is currently the musical director of the renowned Morriston Orpheus Choir. In addition to this, Conal has been assistant conductor for Welsh National Opera, guest conductor for the Cory Band, and is frequently asked to deliver choral workshops around the UK.
Passionate about the future of classical music, Conal holds teaching positions at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff University, Wales Academy of Voice and Dramatic Arts, and as Head of Keyboard at Queen Elizabeth Hospital School. He also delivers outreach projects for Live Music Now, Music in Hospitals and Care, and Welsh National Opera, helping music reach the whole breadth of society.
Alex Jenkins
Alex Jenkins read music at the University of Nottingham, graduating with a BA(Hons) and an MA. He was appointed Musician-in-Residence at Christ’s Hospital School in West Sussex for two years, where he later worked as a visiting piano teacher. Alex graduated with distinction from his MPerf in Piano Accompaniment at the Royal College of Music under the tutelage of Simon Lepper, Roger Vignoles and Andrew Zolinsky. Whilst there Alex was awarded the Titanic Memoriam Prize for best performance by a pianist in the Lies Askonas Vocal Competition and an accompanist’s prize at the Brooks-van der Pump English Song Competition, as well as performing at the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the V&A Museum.
He is currently a professional accompanist and vocal coach at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, working predominantly with the Vocal, Choral Conducting and Opera departments, and is musical director for the postgraduate opera scenes at RWCMD, as well as a senior vocal coach in his regular summer residency at Sherborne School of Music.
In December ‘22 Alex made his TV debut as the pianist for an S4C documentary alongside the Only Boys, Girls and Kids Aloud choirs and world renowned soprano Rebecca Evans. Alex regularly works with choirs, currently accompanying for Swansea Bach Choir. Alongside the wealth of vocal music Alex is involved with he is also a member of the Apollo Trio, alongside violinist Oliver Nelson and clarinettist Paul Vowles, having recently finished a thrilling summer recital series around the south of England.
