THE expansion of Devizes Junior Eisteddfod into a two-day event has been acclaimed as an outstanding success.

For the first time since it was started by Ray Smith in 1946, the festival of youth achievement in the arts was spread across both Friday and Saturday, with 96 classes being adjudicated at various venues across the town centre.

And there were winners’ concerts on both Friday and Saturday nights, with awards for best junior and senior performances based on both events.

The William Dauntesey Cup for best junior performance went to Charlotte Balfour of Calne, whose rendition of Mozart’s Andante Cantabile delighted the audience in the Assembly Room at the town hall on Saturday evening.

Sam Noble from Beechingstoke received the Giles Chivers Cup for best senior performance from town mayor Pete Smith on Saturday night after his performance of Larsson’s Concertino greatly impressed adjudicators Ann Walker and Richard Storry.

The First Stages award for most inspirational solo performance at the concerts went to ten-year-old Polly Mallinson from Great Bedwyn, who brought the house down on Friday evening with her recitation of Brian Patten’s Dear Mum, an explanation from a child on how things came to be broken around the house.

Other notable performances on Friday evening were those of the Devizes choral ensemble, Bel Coro, conducted by Naomi McMurray, who electrified the audience with Can You Hear Me? and Lightning.

It was a good evening for choirs, with both Warminster Prep Chamber Choir and St Margaret’s Prep Chamber Choir showing their talent.

And there was more on Saturday evening, with Devizes Harmony, winners of the carol party section, singing the Coventry Corpus Christi Carol and The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy.

Simon May, the composer of the EastEnders TV theme and patron of the Eisteddfod, said the new format was working well. He added: “I am delighted to see the Eisteddfod still thriving after all these years.

“My only plea would be for more entries in the original composition. It would be great to hear more new music from local youngsters.”

This year’s winner of the Simon May Trophy for best original composition went to Lily Lorraine-Smith.

The Director’s Award for a performance that was particularly noteworthy went to ten-year-old Beatrice Watts of Urchfont, a pupil at St Margaret’s School in Calne for her all-round excellence in the competition.