Tim Heeley is the winner of this year’s Musicians Medal, and he was honoured at a special ceremony on the HSBC Pavilion Stage today.
This year’s task was to create a piece for full orchestra, which would work for a TV detective series of no more than 7 minutes. The prize is the Musicians’ Medal (Urdd Cerddoriaeth Cymru) and £750 (in memory of Tom Mainwaring, Ammanford, by Heulwen, Wyn and the family) and a Scholarship worth £2,000 to promote the career of the winning composer.
The adjudicators were John Rae, John Hardy and Owain Llwyd, and delivering the adjudication from the stage, John Rae said, “This is high quality work. This is an experienced composer who is a master of the craft of writing for a full orchestra. And, this is a wonderful piece of work.
“Gafael ar y Gwir is actually an educational resource. We have to “understand the story in the music, to resolve the mystery of who’s guilty.” This treatment is similar to an orchestral concert for children and schools, bringing the music of the detective series to life.
“This idea is interesting in the context of the Musicians Medal competition, presenting a cross-section of themes for a fictitious detective drama. I would like to hear the composer’s contribution to the detective drama genre for the television, live with a full orchestra.”
Originally from Scarborough, Tim Heeley graduated in Composing, Instrumentation and Arranging at Bangor University, before going to teach at Ysgol Bryn Elian, before moving on to Ysgol Brynhyfryd, Coleg Cambria and the Flintshire Music Service,
Early on in his teaching career, Tim decided to learn Welsh so he could settle properly in Wales and enjoy its culture. He has studied and completed most of the Welsh for Adults courses, and has been part of the Bangor University Welsh Language Sabbatical Scheme. This means he is now able to present his daily music lessons through the medium of Welsh.
Tim has fulfilled a number of roles throughout his musical career. He has accompanied choirs and individuals, has arranged music for choirs, bands and orchestras, has been the musical director on musicals, and has conducted a number of choirs and orchestras. He now conducts Côr Bach Trelawnyd, which performs across north Wales. He is also experienced in working with large creative projects, including performances for the National Trust and Cadw.
Tim has coached lots of pupils for the Urdd Eisteddfod. Over the years he has succeeded in a wide range of competitions on the Eisteddfod stage, including cerdd dant competitions, musicals, action songs, bands and choirs. This year for the first time, Tim himself decided to compete with this winning composition.
The Cyfansoddiadau a Beirniadaethau includes the full adjudication for this competition and the winners of all the other composition winners at this year’s Eisteddfod. The volume is published at the end of the Chairing Ceremony on Friday afternoon.
The Cardiff National Eisteddfod runs until 11 August. For more information go to www.eisteddfod.wales.