Luke McCall Named Welsh Young Musical Theatre Singer Of The Year 2014

Luke McCall, a 21-year-old from Bala in North Wales, currently studying for an MA at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, is the 2014 Principality Building Society Welsh Musical Theatre Young Singer Of The Year.

He was awarded the title after delivering highly accomplished renditions of four classic musical theatre songs at the final of the prestigious competition at the Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea on Saturday April 12. The musical numbers that allowed him to superbly showcase his vocal talent included "Red Red Rose" (the title song from the musical biography of Scottish bard Robbie Burns), Rodgers and Hart's Babes In Arms vintage ballad "Where Or When", Kooman and Dimond's comic tour de force "To Excess" (from Homemade Fusion) and "Anthem" (from Chess).

McCall won the nod from judges Claire Hammacott, Michael Morwood and Tim Richards after a closely run contest pitted against fellow finalists Jodie Alexander Bird, Michael Lowe and Emily Louise Langford - all of whom were accompanied by pianist Jeffrey Howard (a recent recpient of the Joseph Parry award for services to music education in Wales).

2014 marks the 12th annual staging of the contest, sponsored by the Pricipality Building Society and founded and administered by the Dunvant Male Choir (both of whom are passionately committed to the celebration and promotion of musical theatre performance in Wales and beyond).

The programme in the "Evening of Musical Theatre" that included the final of the contest was supplemented by choral renditions of musical theatre songs by the Dunvant Male Choir and solo performances by the 2013 winner, Holly Anna Lloyd.

Previous winners of the title include West End stars Connie Fisher, Hayley Gallivan, Kit Orton and Olivier Award winner David Thaxton. Luke McCall will no doubt set his sights on emulating these stellar performers.