What better tonic for a post-election-night hangover than to hear promising young musicians perform?

So thought those who went to Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor on Friday, 5 July for a concert with recent recipients of Dolgellau Music Club's Youth Fund awards.

The money has aided their progress, going towards the costs of lessons, travel, music, instruments and exam fees.

The programme got off to a splendid start with a bravura performance by Bala-based 19-year-old Gruffydd ab Owain of Chopin's Heroic Polonaise. Gruffydd has already had success in the National Eisteddfod, is in demand as an accompanist and is studying for a diploma in accompaniment. He later revealed how his club award had recently enabled him to have a master session with Richard Ormerod (a past soloist in Dolgellau) and gave a fine performance of the piece they'd worked on, Ante el Escorial by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, vividly evoking that forbidding palace.

Also from the Bala area are tenor Cadog Edwards and pianist Nel Thomas. Cadog, accompanied by Nia Morgan, gave confident renderings of Cilfan y Coed (Rhys Jones) and Ti ydyw Hedd (Schubert), whilst Nel was no less proficient in presenting some delightful Grade 6 pieces such as Cunning Mr Fox (Pam Wedgwood) and Granados' Vals Poético.

In a free pianistic style Dolgellau's Osian Lewis-Smith improvised on his own compositions (one of them based on Eleanor Rigby) supported by cellist Andrew Richardson, mature and beguiling music-making that made an excellent contrast.

From Blaenau Ffestiniog came classical guitarist Jessica Jones, whose playing of Giuliani's La Melancolia and a Villa-Lobos Prelude showed how far she has already come in mastering the instrument's technical challenges. Head in the Clouds (Maria Linnemann), in lighter vein, was an excellent third choice; we wish her luck as she progresses towards her Grade 8.

Isaac Roberts from Tywyn introduced a different part of the guitar story - and a touch of Glastonbury - as the 13-year-old strummed his amped-up electroacoustic guitar (purchased with his club award) and sang Coldplay's Yellow and two other pieces, all with a commitment that promises well for the future.

Another welcome visitor from Tywyn was pianist Tudor Jones, who accompanied club chair Ben Ridler in two songs and rounded off a full programme with the Myra Hess arrangement of Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

Thanks are due to the teachers who have nurtured all this promise, amongst them Branwen Williams, Nia Morgan, John Jones and Leigh Matthews of Totaleigh Music. One performer said this was their first time in front of a large audience – invaluable experience. Warm feedback suggests there may well be appetite for another such event in the future.