For aspiring professional singers, competitions are an inescapable part of the mix. For many young Welsh singers, the round of competitions starts at an early age through the eisteddfodau network. A major goal for many is to make it to and through the Welsh Singers Competition to represent Wales in the prestigious biennial BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, where the home country has a guaranteed place in the final group of about 20 singers. A possible stepping stone on the way is to reach the final of the Dunraven Welsh Young Singer Competition, which added a 19-31 years category in 2012. This competition, originally established for younger singers – 11-14 and 15-18 years – has been held in Maesteg annually since 2003. Since 2018, the final of the Dunraven Welsh Young Singer has been held at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, giving singers the chance to sing on the stage of the Dora Stoutzker recital hall.