Having recently won the Welsh Open Championships, the band was delighted to follow it up with victory in the 1st Section at the Welsh Regional Championships!
Returning to the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on 19th March 2022, having last been held at the Great Hall on Swansea University’s Bay Campus in 2020, this was the first Welsh Regional Championships to take place following the outbreak of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
With the victory comes an invitation to represent Wales at the finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, to be held at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse on 17th September 2022.
The set test piece for the contest was ‘Spectrum’ by Gilbert Vinter, with the band competing in a field of 7 bands. As well as claiming the main trophy, the band’s euphonium player, Lyndon Harris, added to his growing collection of individual awards by claiming the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize.
Full results for the section are below.
| Position | Band | Conductor | Draw |
| 1 | Pontardulais Town Band | Paul Jenkins | 6 |
| 2 | Ebbw Valley Brass | Gareth Ritter | 3 |
| 3 | B. T. M. Band | Jeff Hutcherson | 7 |
| 4 | Lewis Merthyr Band | Craig Roberts | 2 |
| 5 | Parc & Dare Band | Nigel Seaman | 5 |
| 6 | Deiniolen Silver Band | Keith Jones | 4 |
| 7 | Markham & District Band | Jayne Thomas | 1 |
Best instrumentalist: Lyndon Harris – Euphonium (Pontardulais Town Band)
A full report for the contest from 4barsrest.com can be read by following this link.
Positive comments on the band’s performance from 4barsrest.com were as follows:
From 4barsrest.com – We waited a long time to hear two really authentic high quality First Section performances of ‘Spectrum’ and then we got them to close the contest.
The first came from Pontardulais, playing with bold confidence after their recent Welsh Open victory. That was carried forward here — helped by a wonderfully cohesive reading by the MD which was stuck to like Aroldite glue by his players.
This was glossy, high sheen stuff as oily as a palette of Dulux gloss and brushed on with the care and attention of a Vermeer rather than a Jackson Pollack. Little moments of unease, but it didn’t tarnish the canvas on which it was placed. Nicely done in all aspects that — very nicely done indeed.
From 4barsrest.com on Twitter – The most cohesive rendition so far from a bold but refined @pontardulaisband MD gave real definition to each colouring too – aided by fine soloists and balanced ensemble. Nice.
