Côr Ifor Bach win S4C’s Côr Cymru 2024 crown

A choir that was formed just a year ago by students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David  has won the prestigious S4C choral competition Côr Cymru 2024

Côr Ifor Bach claimed the title in a thrilling final round at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre which was broadcast live on S4C on Sunday( 12 May).

The choir was formed as part of a project to establish a special youth club for young people living and working in Cardiff.

Aelwyd Ifor Bach is a collection of students studying BA Performance, BA Musical Theatre and BMus Vocal Performance courses at the University’s Cardiff campus, along with other members living and working in the capital.

The students decided to establish the club as extracurricular to their studies in order to socialise, sing and compete together through the medium of Welsh.

Urdd National Eisteddfod

With the support of Academy Director Eilir Owen Griffiths, they saw success at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Llandovery last May, with five members taking first prize in the vocal ensemble competition.

There are now 40 members in the club, and the choir reached the finals of ‘Côr Cymru’, having won in the Youth Choirs category.

On Sunday, all five choirs that won their categories in the first round competed for the Côr Cymru trophy and a prize of £4000.

The other finalists were Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion (winners of the Children’s Choir category), Bechgyn Bro Taf (winners of the Choir of Identical Voices), Côr Glanaethwy (winners of Mixed Choirs), and Côr Ieuenctid Môn (winners of the Show Choirs).

International judges

Each choir presented a programme of songs, in front of a panel of international judges, including  Welsh conductor Grant Llewellyn, choral expert Greg Beardsell from Yorkshire and world-renowned conductor Dr Darius Lim from Singapore.

Eilir Owen Griffiths conductor of Côr Ifor Bach said: “Taking part in this competition has been one of those things that push the choir. The choir has been with me since October, and I hope this is just the beginning for us, because they’ve worked so so hard.”

Hefin Owen, series producer for Rondo Media said: “Congratulations to Côr Ifor Bach on winning the 2024 Côr Cymru trophy. It was an excellent final at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre with the standard this year as high as ever.

“One of the competition’s aims is to give Welsh choirs the opportunity to take part in an international standard competition with experts from around the world invited to judge.”The series has shown the excellent standard of choral singing we have here in Wales.