Caleb NicholasA young doctor has won a prestigious prize for his singing at the eisteddfod – despite not bringing a suit with him and failing to ask for the day off work.
Caleb Nicholas, 24, won the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize at this year’s Eisteddfod in Wrexham after picking up the hobby six years ago.
The doctor, who works at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said singing was an “escape” for him.
Caleb was due to receive his induction session as a paediatric doctor on Friday, but said going through to the finals after winning his bass-baritone competition was “completely unexpected”.
Caleb receives lessons from Pembrokeshire teacher Eilyr Thomas, who won this year’s Sir TH Parry-Williams Memorial Medal – presented every year to someone who has “contributed widely within their local community with a particular emphasis on working with young people”.
As the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize winner, the doctor will be invited to perform at the North America Wales Festival in early September 2026 held in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Caleb said his intention was to “do my best” in the bass-baritone competition, and that to go on to win was a privilege.
From there he was invited to compete for the Osborne Roberts scholarship.
“It was completely unexpected to have the opportunity to compete in the Osborne Roberts, which is such an honourable competition and a new opportunity to compete at a higher level,” he said.
Caleb said he had not booked time off, but after bumping into one of the consultants he worked with at the hospital last year he was able to take the rest of the week off work and compete to win the scholarship.
He said winning the award was “a great honour”.
Celf CalonCaleb said he didn’t even bring a suit with him to the eisteddfod because he did not think he would make it to the competition.
He said: “My brother brought the suit to Llandysul from Efail Wen and then my sister brought it from Llandysul up to Wrexham by Thursday morning, so I had my suit in the end.”
But will Caleb trade the scrubs for the microphone as a job?
He said: “It’s something I really enjoy doing, I’ve invested a lot of time preparing for this competition, but it’s a very nice contrast with day-to-day work.
“It’s a great escape from the stress of work, working as a doctor and it’s a nice escape from 9-5 work.”
Looking forward to the next step as a singer, Caleb said he hoped to “continue to compete” and aims to compete next year in the open competitions.
“We’ll see how it goes, but I’m keen to keep developing my voice.”
Thanking his teacher Eilyr, he said: “Without her I think I would’ve stopped competing after my first time doing so at the Cardiff Urdd Eisteddfod 2018.
“She teaches in such a natural way that suits my character, which makes me more comfortable,” he said.
Caleb said he was able to celebrate with friends following the win after they came to meet him backstage, adding: “I hope they buy me a pint tonight!”
