Adjudicators
Mark Llewelyn Evans, voice

Zoe Smith, piano
As an accompanist, Zoe Smith has worked extensively in the UK and internationally with singers and instrumentalists. A graduate of Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, she has performed in many of the principal London recital venues, as well as the Schubertsaal in Vienna and Sala Nezahualcoyotl in Mexico City. She has received prizes in song accompaniment and has also specialised in flute repertoire, working in masterclasses and recitals with many leading flautists including Sarah Newbold, Alexa Still and late Alain Marion, as well as recording three CDs for flute and piano.
Since 1999, Zoe has worked at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where she is now Head of Postgraduate Programmes. As a pianist, she has performed with a range of distinguished visiting artists, including Michael Collins (clarinet), Michael Cox (flute) and Roderick Williams (baritone). In July 2015 she was awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. She is currently working in partnership with Ty Cerdd to research Welsh instrumental music of the 20th Century, seeking to raise awareness of this rich repertoire and promote its performance amongst musicians in Wales and beyond. The first output of this project is a CD of Welsh solo piano music, “Welsh Impressions”, released at the 2019 National Eisteddfod.
Simon Jones, strings
Simon Jones studied at Bristol, Oxford and York universities, gaining his PhD in 2003. He was the first-ever leader of the European Baroque Orchestra, and spent the early part of his career touring and recording with many of the UK’s leading period instrument groups. He performed with, amongst others, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Roger Norrington and Christopher Hogwood, and at one point he held three principal seats simultaneously. From 1997 to 2004 he was concertmaster of The King’s Consort, relinquishing this post to take up the position of Head of Historical Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He now combines his various teaching roles with performance, including leading and recording with award-winning UK ensembles such as The Sixteen and Arcangelo.
In 2012 Simon took on the role of Head of String Performance at RWCMD, developing the course to offer a unique blend of stylistic and contextual experience, class-leading performance opportunities and high levels of mentoring and contact with internationally-renowned teachers. Simon combines this role with external consultancies, examining roles at other institutions, and diploma examining for the ABRSM. He is a trustee and council member of the European String Teachers’ Association and acted as a consultant for recordings for the ABRSM’s last violin syllabus. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and in 2016 was proud to receive a coveted National Teaching Fellowship.