Changes to Urdd 19-25 Eisteddfod Competition Raise Concerns
Ellis Massarelli stated that he decided not to compete individually this year due to the original changes.
Some competitors have expressed frustration after the Urdd decided to allow all 19-25 year-old contestants to advance to the Urdd Eisteddfod national final following the regional rounds.
In September last year, the Urdd announced a new arrangement requiring individual competitors in this age category to participate in regional eisteddfodau if they wished to compete at the national Eisteddfod.
However, after the regional competitions, the Urdd decided to permit every competitor to progress to the main festival.
Llio Maddocks, Urdd's artistic director, explained that flexibility is a normal part of the system and described it as "a practice in the Urdd Eisteddfod, where we can... sometimes adapt."
"We did not want to prevent anyone from coming to the national to compete, but we wanted to ensure they had the opportunity to perform in their regions and then come forward fully prepared," she said.
New Urdd Eisteddfod Rules Deemed 'Very Frustrating' by Students
The new seven-day competition format for the Urdd Eisteddfod has been introduced.
While many welcomed that everyone was able to appear at the national level, some expressed frustration that the adjustment to arrangements came "after many had traveled home, arranged extra practice time, and learned pieces much earlier than usual."
Ellis Massarelli, 21, from Aelwyd JMJ, said he chose not to compete individually this year because of the original changes.
"The most frustrating thing for me is that quite a few people from the south, especially at Bangor University, had to travel back down south to compete in their regions," he said.
"Then the decision came after they had made that trip back, under the impression that only the first place would progress.
"It's a late decision. I understand it was a difficult decision, but it hasn't gone down well with those who made the trip back."
Alis Glyn expressed that she was "so pleased" everyone was able to advance to the national competition.
She is the winner of the 19-25 solo show at the national level after finishing second in her region.
"Because I am at university in Cardiff, it was a bit of a hassle having to travel down to Barry to compete in the region," she said.
"I got second place in the competition, but then I received an email saying everyone was going through, so having to travel down to Barry was frustrating because I didn't really need to do that."
Nevertheless, she said she was "so glad" everyone had progressed.
"I think in this category the standard is so high, and I think everyone deserves to be at the national," she said.
"The judge's tastes vary. To think I got second in the region and then first against 20 other highly skilled competitors shows that tastes vary."
Heledd and Mari Support Allowing All to Progress to National Stage
Heledd Davies and Mari Roberts from Aelwyd Llundain are among those who believe competing in the region should not be necessary to advance to the national competition.
Heledd described the requirement to go through the regional rounds as "quite frustrating."
"I found it really difficult because there was less time to prepare," she said.
"But by allowing everyone to compete at the national, they have gone against their initial plan [the Urdd's], which is confusing as well."
Mari added that the new arrangements affected their ability to participate in other competitions.
"We wanted to do a duet but didn't have time to prepare it," she said.
"Usually, you think about the Urdd in May and know when to start preparing."
Both believe that "allowing everyone to progress creates a better atmosphere and encourages more participation."
"It makes people want to join and compete, and that's what I think the Urdd is about," Heledd said.
Urdd Reports 15% Increase in 19-25 Individual Competitors Despite Concerns
Although several students warned that fewer would compete due to the change, the Urdd reported a 15% increase in the number of individual 19-25 year-old competitors compared to last year.
The organisation stated it remains "committed to continuously improving and strengthening opportunities available to older competitors."
Gwenllian Mason Highlights Added Stress from the Changes
Gwenllian Mason believes the adjustment has placed additional pressure on students.
"I think it's frustrating for students who want to compete individually, especially if they don't have much money," she said.
"They have to travel all the way home, and many students in Cardiff live in the north, so for them it's quite far.
"Exams and coursework are also on top, so it's difficult for some students to find time to travel and compete on top of everything else."
She also said she believes the change has "caused stress for many individuals" and possibly reduced the number of competitors.
"I understand the Urdd may feel it's fairer to require going through different rounds, but I think if they reversed it, they would have many more competing."
Glesni Rhys Supports Returning to Regional Singing Before Nationals
However, not everyone shares the same opinion. Glesni Rhys, this year's 19-25 solo winner, supports the regional rounds.
"I am definitely in favour of singing in the region before coming to the national," she said.
"I think it's an invaluable opportunity to receive criticism and comments before coming to the national."
She added that the system helps performers improve by "forcing you to work on the piece and get feedback for the national."
Jona Milone Sees Benefits in Regional Competition
Jona Milone, this year's monologue winner, also noted advantages to the new system.
"I can understand that the region feels unfair to some individuals," he said.
"But on the one hand, it's important for us all to remember this is an opportunity to compete on a stage before progressing to the national and to get feedback.
"There are opportunities to improve, but it's a new idea, and it has helped me a lot as a performer."
Llio Maddocks Emphasises Urdd's Willingness to Listen and Adapt
Llio Maddocks explained that the arrangement changed following consultation with children and young people and gathering opinions from a broad range of competitors.
"The Urdd is always ready to listen, ready to develop," she said.
She noted that the changes stemmed from the consultation, with many 19-25 year-old competitors emphasizing the importance of gaining regional experience before the national.
"We did not want to prevent anyone from coming to the national to compete, but we wanted to ensure they had the chance to perform in their regions, receive full criticism, and then come forward fully prepared," she said.
She added that the Urdd continues to review numbers as competitions take place.
"We always assess our competitor numbers after the regions finish."
She also noted that flexibility is part of the system as some categories grow.
"It's nice to offer the opportunity to those who have come second or sometimes third to compete at the national."
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