Choir Music Team

Ryan joined the music team of Bridgend Male Choir in June 2016. He is also Deputy Musical Director of Treorchy Male Choir and Deputy Musical Director of Pendyrus Male Choir.  He is the founder conductor of Noteworthy, a mixed choir based in Maesteg which has become well known for the high standard of their performances and variety of their repertoire. Noteworthy has been described as “one of the best mixed choirs in Wales”.

Ryan began accompanying with Maesteg Children’s Choir and Cor Meibion Maesteg a’r Cylch in 1996 and has since gained a vast amount of experience.  He regularly accompanies the Classical Brit Award winning vocal ensemble, Only Men Aloud and has also accompanied Only Boys Aloud and Only Kids Aloud.   

Ryan has played with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera in a performance of SaintSaens’ Organ Symphony at St. David’s Cathedral.  He has performed at many other prestigious venues including the Wales Millennium Centre, St. David’s Hall, Llandaff Cathedral, Palma Cathedral, Truro Cathedral and Cadogan Hall in London. 

 

A career highlight for Ryan was when he collaborated with Sir Willard White and Beverley Humphreys for a tribute concert to Paul Robeson.  He has accompanied many well-known performers including Rebecca Evans, John Owen Jones and Gary Griffiths and he has accompanied masterclasses given by Helen Field, Rebecca Evans, John Fisher and Dennis O’Neill.  He is also the regular accompanist for vocal duo, Cantare. 

Ryan has appeared on the Welsh language TV programme, Heno and on stage at the National and Urdd Eisteddfod competitions.  He is an official accompanist of the Dunraven Young Welsh Singer of the Year competition and the Douglas Rees Opera Singer of the Year competition for the Milford Haven Festival.  Ryan has also performed on programmes for BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales.

Stewart officially joined the music team of Bridgend Male Choir in August 2019 as Deputy Musical Director. He has been associated with the choir for many years, often covering for both Ryan and Stephanie at rehearsal and concerts. He is also Musical Director of Pendyrus Male Choir.

Whilst attending the University of Wales Stewart studied the piano with Richard McMahon and Caroline Rae and the cello with Chris Hodges. In 1995 he graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree and was awarded the Eleanor Amy Bowen Scholarship which enabled him to pursue his Master’s Degree in 1996. In 2001, Stewart gained the LRSM Diploma in Piano Performance.
As a solo pianist Stewart has performed concertos by Grieg, Shostakovich, Mozart and Beethoven. His most recent performance was in the ‘Warsaw Concerto’ with the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra at St David’s Hall, Cardiff. As a cellist, he has also given many solo performances, most notably Karl Jenkins’ ‘Benedictus’ from ‘The Armed Man’ in a concert at St. David’s Hall in 2014.
Stewart Roberts has accompanied many of Wales’ distinguished vocalists, including Rhys Meirion, Rebecca Evans, Shân Cothi, Wynne Evans and Anthony Stuart Lloyd and in 2007 he accompanied Hayley Westenra in concert at St David’s Hall.
Stewart’s passion for male choral singing was ignited when he was appointed accompanist to Côr Meibion Morlais at the age of sixteen. Since then he has worked with Dunvant, Ynysowen and Only Men Aloud and was Musical Director of Dowlais Male Choir 2000-2007. Stewart was appointed accompanist to ‘Noteworthy Mixed Choir’ from Maesteg in 2014.
He has also recently been appointed a Musical Advisor for LARS  (Loud Applause Rising Stars), a Llanelli-based charity who help, support and nurture young singers and instrumentalists across South Wales.

Stephanie joined the Music Team as Accompanist of Bridgend Male Choir in May 2011. Shortly afterwards she also became Deputy Musical Director and held this position until September 2019. Highlights of the eleven years with the choir include accompanying them at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod where they won first place in the Male Choir category, then going on to perform in the ‘Choir of the World’ Gala Concert. Since that time, competing in the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff (2018); the International Choral Festival, Cornwall (2019); and visits at prestigious venues in many locations across the UK, in addition to tours of Ireland, Holland and Palma, have been enjoyed with the choir.

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Stephanie is also a Rock Choir Leader in South Wales as a conductor for three local choirs. (as seen on ITV’s documentary ‘The Choir that Rocks’). In 2019 Stephanie performed on stage at the Last Night of the Proms in Hyde Park (September), as part of the Rock Choir vocal group; and was the first Welsh Rock Choir Leader to take her Rock Choir to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe (August 2019).

 

Stephanie graduated with a BA (Hons) Music in 1998 followed by a PGCE in 2000. With Grade 8 ABRSM Distinctions in both Piano and Singing, Stephanie enjoys teaching both, and has become an experienced accompanist for soloists, choirs and ABRSM music examinations.