Edward-Rhys Harry - Musical Director
Picture: Ben Tomlin Photography
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Edward-Rhys Harry works across the UK and internationally as a voice coach, adjudicator, composer, arranger and choral conductor. Edward became the Musical Director of the London Welsh Chorale in 2011.
He comes from Penclawdd, on the North Coast of The Gower Peninsula. Aged 14 he was employed as an organist and also began conducting rehearsals for choirs in local chapels and churches. Undergraduate studies in composition and voice at University of Wales Bangor (through the medium of Welsh) were followed with postgraduate study in Music Technology and Sound Recording, his PGCE and an MMus degree in composition from the London College of Music, where he studied with Francis Pott, Terry Davies and Laurence Roman. |
In 2006 he became a member of the Gorsedd Y Beirdd.
He left full time teaching to study Choral Conducting with Simon Halsey, Adrian Partington and Neil Ferris at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, in Cardiff. There he was the first (and second) recipient of the RWCMD Glynne Jones Conducting Scholarship and graduated with an MA degree. Edward is the first Welshman to receive a recognized qualification in Choral Conducting.
Having being awarded the prestigious Elphinstone Scholarship, along with the Derek Ogston scholarship in composition, Edward is now studying for a PhD in choral composition with Phillip Cooke and Paul Mealor.
His compositions are published by Boosey and Hawkes, Banks Music Publications, Curiad Cyf. (in Wales) and Chichester Music Press. He is consultant vocal coach for Volgograd Opera House Chorus in Russia and is the Artistic Director of ‘Voces Volgograd’ –an Anglo-Russia Choral Festival.
No stranger to media work, Edward has directed performances for S4C (channel 4 Wales), Sky Sports, ITV advertisements, ‘ident’ music for BBC 1,2,3,4 and all radio channels, as well as appearing on programmes such as BBC 1’s ‘The Apprentice – You’ve Been Fired’, ‘Dr Who’ the Rob Brydon Christmas Show (conducting Bryn Terfel with the London Welsh Male Voice Choir) and ‘Sports Relief’.
Edward is the Artistic Director of Côr Siambr Cymru/Chamber Choir Wales, a professional chamber choir, as well as ‘The Harry Ensemble’ – his own chamber choir who, through performances and recordings, promote British choral music overseas. Their deubut album ‘Remember’ is available to download now. Give them a listen!
Edward is Musical Director of: London Welsh Male Voice Choir, Reading Festival Chorus, the Atheneum Singers of Warminster and, of course, the London Welsh Chorale.
Edward is a member of the training team for the Association of British Choral Directors, leading workshops in singing and conducting across the UK and is the Conductor-in-Residence of the British Sinfonietta orchestra.
For further information please visit www.edwardrhysharry.com or www.harryensemble.com or download his ‘app’ to your mobile phone or tablet!