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OUR SHORT HISTORY
The Festival  is the brainchild of two young musicians and teachers, Penny and
Nicky, who, frustrated by the lack of festivals locally, decided to start their
own. And a month or two later the first AFYM was held. In that
first year, 1993, the festival attracted 70 competitors, using one hall - the
Taliesin Arts Centre at Swansea University - and employing one
adjudicator. Nicky and her family have left Swansea now, but the Festival has gone from strength to
strength, as shown below:
| Date |
Days |
Halls |
Classes |
Performers |
Adjudicators |
| 1993 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
70 |
1 |
| 2005 |
6 |
2/3 |
67 |
500 |
6 |
At the beginning of the 21st
century, AFYM was having problems with hall hire, particularly trying to find
several venues in one location. The
City and County of Swansea Leisure Department then invited us to use the venues at the
Guildhall, Swansea, including the magnificent Brangwyn Hall, with its famous paintings,
and two Steinway Grand pianos, the lovely George Hall and Lord Mayor's Reception
Room. We shall always be grateful to the City and County of
Swansea for this invaluable support, allowing us to use what must be one of the most
prestigious venues in the country.
AFYM has had much success in its young life. One of its main
aims is to enrich the musical life of young musicians, so apart from the classes,
workshops and concerts of the Festival itself, we have contributed to the
local and national music scene by:
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Offering
a bi-ennial bursary to AFYM competitors to pay for new instruments or summer
schools and other courses |
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Making
a successful joint lottery bid for purchase of a Steinway grand piano for a
local church. |
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Helping
to organise a series of summer concerts at the church, now running into their
fourth year |
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Participating
in the Federation’s 75th Anniversary celebrations in 1997 in Warwick and
attending the Concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London |
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Involving
AFYM young musicians in BBC National Orchestra of Wales workshops, a Swansea
Festival of Music and the Arts masterclass, and a Gower Festival Invitation
Concert |
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Assisting
talented local young musicians where necessary - finding sponsors for advanced
music teaching, purchasing musical instruments, etc |
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Distributing
quality used musical instruments to local young musicians via the BBC
Musical Instrument Amnesty |
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Participating
in the Millennium Concerts of the Federation in Leeds, where Michiko Negamo,
violinist, was our representative |
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Establishment of a bank of musical instruments to lend to
young musicians |
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Organising support events, such as an Alexander Technique
lecture for performers and anyone else interested, including
demonstrations of the technique on participants. |
         
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