Edward-Rhys Harry: Musical Director, London Welsh Chorale

Edward-Rhys Harry is a freelance choral conductor, composer and arranger who works with choirs of all shapes and sizes across the UK.

Weekend or evening workshops, ‘come and sing’ days and ‘from scratch’ performances are just some of the activities Edward regularly leads with his “…impish sense of humour…”,  “ …infectious enthusiasm…” and a sincere dedication to the social necessity and art of choral singing and performance, all through masses of fun and infectious energy!

Edward comes from the village of Penclawdd, on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales. He studied music from an early age, taking lessons on the organ, piano and voice. At 14, he was appointed in his first Church Organist position, and, at 16 he received his first professional commission, to write music for the play 'No Birds Sing' by Denise Deegan (Daisy Pulls It Off) for the National Youth Theatre of Wales. Further compositions for theatre followed, incuding two further childrens’ musicals, and, writing for the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company.

This fuelled his desire to further pursue his studies in composition. At 18 his first major work was performed in Swansea (a children's musical), and shortly after this he left his beloved South Wales to study music at University of Wales, Bangor. During his time at Bangor, Edward studied composition under the eminent composers William Matthias and John Harper (RSCM). He also studied voice, under prolific performer Kenneth Reynolds (RAM). As a student, he won the department composition prize for his orchestral work 'Re:Becca' which was subsequently performed by the department symphony orchestra. After graduating and completing a post-graduate diploma in Music Technology and Sound Recording, Edward was appointed as Director of Music at a local college.

Over the next five years, Edward was responsible for founding several choirs and toured across the UK and as far afield as India, Hungary, New Zealand. As well as training to be a qualified teacher! He became responsible for the birth and development of a busy music department, but moved to the Hampshire/Surrey border, and a new college, after five years, to continue his studies, reading composition at the London College of Music (and picking up his masters' degree along the way), this time under prolific professional musicians such as Laurence Roman (orchestrator for Andrew Lloyd-Webber) and the sacred music composer Francis Pott. Edward was responsible for forming two new community choirs in Hampshire, who performed and recorded his own, as well as published, works.

During his time in Hampshire, Edward worked for the Hampshire County Music Service as a private composition tutor for gifted young student composers awarded a scholarship to study in this area. He was also appointed as lecturer at the University of Winchester, leading the composition modules, and conducting the University Choir. Alongside this, Edward was appointed as an examiner for both the Edexcel and Oxford/Cambridge examination boards in further and higher education awards. After a successful four years in Hampshire and London, Edward left his teaching positions (albeit temporarily) to study Choral Conducting at the RWCMD. Seizing his new found freedom, he took the opportunity to work between South Wales and London, where he is now based.

 In 2006 Edward was crowned a national Bard of Wales in the famous National Eisteddfod festival, raising his profile as a Welsh composer and performer. As well as teaching singing and composition as a private tutor, Edward tutors at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

More recently, Edward was the recipient of a major scholarship enabling him to study Conducting under Simon Halsey (Berlin and Netherlands Radio Choirs, Birmingham Symphony Chorus) Neil Ferris (Royal Holloway, Birmingham Conservatoire) and Adrian Partington (BBC NCW, Gloucester Cathedral) at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. It is through this that he has regularly worked with several companies in producing community choirs and projects throughout South Wales and the South West of England.

Edward’s current conducting appointments are with Cor Bro Ogwr (South Wales’ largest mixed choir), Reading Festival Chorus, The London Welsh Chorale, and the internationally recognized London Welsh Male Voice Choir. As well as this he has recently joined the London based ‘Music in Offices’ team, helping to coach in-house choirs in local businesses such as Christe’s Auction House.

This season he has conducted performances for BBC Radio and television and worked with World Number One brass band The Cory Band, ‘Go Compare’ tenor Wynne Evans, soprano Rebecca Evans and internationally acclaimed baritone Bryn Terfel, as well as Jack Dee, Jo Brand and the legendary rocker Alice Cooper.  He is also currently working with composer Karl Jenkins on a new commission and recording for 2012. This seasons’ performances have taken him outside of the UK to Cyprus and on to the television screen with S4C’s  version of ‘Songs of Praise’, Dechrau Canmol, Dechrau Canmol. He has regularly conducted the National Chamber Orchestra of Wales and the recently formed Welsh Session Orchestra.

He has recently completed a brand new recording of miscellaneous works by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir, and is due to begin a second recording with them in January. He is editing a new collection of arrangements for male voice chorus as well editing, revising and reorchestrating a new collection of oratorios by Joseph Parry.

In 2010 Edward chorus mastered the London Welsh Male Voice Choir for the famous ‘1000 voices’ concert series at the Royal Albert Hall and will conduct this in 2012, leading the voices, accompanied by the Cory Band, including the Albert Hall premiere of ‘A Hero’s Journey’ by Karl Jenkins – commissioned by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. His choral arrangements are included in the program for the 2012 Olympics Choir concert taking place in July of that year at Alexandra Palace.

His mass in aid of the charity Help for Heroes entitled ‘Missa Eroica’ will be premiered in December 2012 in the garrison town of Warminster and his latest oratorio will be premiered by Reading Festival Chorus in early 2012.

As composer, Edward’s works are published, by Chichester Music Press and Alto Publications. His arrangements are published exclusively by Banks Music Publications.

He was the first ever recipient of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Glynne Jones Choral Conducting Scholarship and was awarded this two years running. His doctoral studies, in choral training, are generously supported by a Laura Ashley Music Scholarship.

Community singing and the choral art are his passion, to which he is absolutely dedicated to providing fun, pleasure and above all a real sense of achievement for all who sing with him.

For further information or to contact Edward, please visit www.edwardrhysharry.com