Sian Pearce has had a lifetime's involvement in music. She is no stranger to the spotlight as she has performed on TV & Radio, & toured extensively around the world, performing as soloist, chorister & conductor; to audiences from a few through to many thousands. Born & raised in Risca in the Welsh Valleys, choral singing has been Sian's passion from an early age. There has never been a time when she has not been involved, in one way or another with a choir. At 16 she was a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales and the youngest founder member in the BBC National Chorus of Wales, gaining an interest in choral conducting by singing under the baton of such prestigious conductors such as Sir Neville Mariner and Andrew Davies.
Sian gained her vocal training by studying under such teachers as Jennifer Rhys Davies and Beverley Humphries. She went on to study classical singing and flute at Trinity College of Music, London studying under the great James Gaddarn. Following her studies, Sian performed extensively as a Classical Solo Singer, but was also invited to share her teaching talents with others. She became the Community Musician for Penrhys Estate, Rhondda where she set up youth & adult choirs, rock bands and helped in the design & development of the building of a new Arts Centre & Recording Studio, which now brings quality musicians to a once deprived community. Sian has also conducted many youth and adult choirs, including The Continentals ( a gospel touring choir & band) with whom she was responsible for the vocal training of the carefully selected singers from all over Europe, on tours around the world.
For nearly 3 years Sian was the 1st female Musical Director of The Morriston Orpheus Male Voice Choir, conducting them in over 77 engagements, including performances at Wales’ Millennium Centre & Sydney Opera House. She also toured Australia, New Zealand & Dubai and made a CD recording with The Orpheus. As a Full-Time Professional Singing Teacher she currently has around 30 individual singing pupils, is the recognised Singing Teacher in South West Wales for the government initiative New Deal for Musicians, & also shares her vocal expertise with various Musical Theatre Arts Schools. Sian also co-owns her own business SingingTune, providing vocal workshops and choral teambuilding events for businesses. Visit the SingingTune website - www.singingtune.co.uk
Deputy Musical Director - Anne Beynon
Anne Beynon was born in Treharris, and has been singing practically from birth. She started her performing career at the ripe old age of 3 years in the Chapel in the regular "Quarterly Meetings" and of course the Whitsun Gymanfa Canu.
Throughout her school life, Anne was always involved in singing in the school choirs and, and she made her "operatic debut" singing Yum-Yum in Quakers' YardGrammar School's production of The Mikado.
Anne initially trained as a professional singer at the age of 15 years under the "eagle eye" of Valetta Iacopi in the Welsh College of Music and Drama. Here she won many awards and prizes. Her training was mainly operatic, although she sang Lieder and French Chanson in addition to the "lollipops" that audiences appreciate.
She trained as teacher, but returned to her first love -singing- and became a member of the Welsh National Opera Company, and sang with them until her children were born.
Anne continued to sing professionally with various male voice choirs and choral societies, and also accompanied choirs and soloists alike on the piano.
It was a little while later that Anne decided to embark on a totally different career and qualified as a nurse, but even whilst studying and working, still upheld a keen interest in music and singing which, on a part time basis took her to very many varied and prestigious venues.
Accompanists
Robert Marshall BA Hons, ADRWCMD
Robert Marshall was born in Swansea South Wales in 1971 into a family, which have produced a number of musicians and singers. His musical ability was spotted at an early age and by the age of six he had started piano lessons under the tuition of Norman Edmonds.
In 1990 Robert became a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he studied with a line of distinguished pianists including Rosalie Armstrong, Julian Jacobson, and Mikhail Kazakeivich; and also with Irina Zaritskaya at the Royal College of Music, and privately with Leslie Howard in London. He also participated in numerous master classes with pianists such as David Owen Norris Vanessa Latarche, Bernard Roberts, Michael Ponti, and Alexander Torradze. After appearing in a master class with Alexander Torradze he was invited to study on a concert artist’s course at the University of Indiana in the United States, but due to funding problems he was unable to take up the offer.
Whilst a student at R.W.C.M.D. he was appointed to the post of orchestral pianist with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain which took him on national tours. He also had much success in competitions including twice being recipient of the John Thomas (Merthyr Tydfil) award, Lawrence Davies memorial award and in 1994 he became the first piano student to win the coveted R.W.C.M.D. Concerto competition. He performed twice with the college orchestra as soloist – in 1992 he played Saint-Saens “Carnival of the Animals” with the College Chamber Orchestra, and after winning the concerto competition he gave a highly acclaimed performance of Liszt’s first concerto with the College Symphony Orchestra at St David’s Hall in Cardiff.
Since then Robert has been in considerable demand as soloist and has played with most of the orchestras in Wales including, Welsh Philharmonic, Cardiff Philharmonic, Welsh Chamber, National Chamber Orchestra of Wales, Festival Orchestra of Wales and the Classical Fanfare Orchestra. He has worked with many eminent conductors such as Tadakki Otakka, Christopher Adey, Adrian Leaper, Mark Shanahan, Owain Arwel Hughes and Elgar Howarth. Concerto performances include Grieg, Liszt, Schumann, Rowley, Shostakovich, Beethoven, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Richard Addinsell’s “Warsaw Concerto” in a special concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of V.E. Day, and also in his repertoire Concertos by Mozart, and Prokofiev to make an impressive fifteen concertos he has learned over the years.
Other solo performances include festivals dedicated to the composers Bartok, Stravinsky, Brahms, Schubert and Chopin, also Swansea, Carmarthen and Cardiff festivals. Elsewhere in the U.K. he has played in London, Nottingham, Swindon, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, Lichfield, and abroad in France, Germany, Finland, Spain and Denmark.
Returning to live in Swansea in 1997, Robert was appointed the post of Musical Director to the Swansea branch of the Welsh National Youth Opera, and also spent time as Musical Director with Llanelli Youth Theatre – conducting musicals including Sondheim’s “Assassins” and Rogers and Hammerstein’s “King and I”.
In June 2001 with Violinist Matthew Jones, he gave the World Premiere of “Cantus Insolitus” for violin and piano by World-renowned composer Karl Jenkins, and he promotes music by Welsh Composers whenever possible – having performed Daniel Jones Bagatelles for Piano both in Wales and Denmark.
In the world of pop music he has performed with singer Bonnie Tyler whom he regularly works with as a coach, the band “Dirty Fingers” and has also performed with and entertained many celebrities including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and David Emmanuel.
Robert currently lives in Swansea and apart from playing as a soloist and chamber musician; he has built up an outstanding reputation as an accompanist, having worked with many instrumentalists and singers from the United Kingdom and abroad for concerts, examinations, competitions and auditions. This has led to many invitations as a guest accompanist with many of the South Wales Choirs and has played with the Dunvant, Treorchy, Swansea, Morriston Rugby Club Male Voice as well as The Calfara singers, Swansea Bach Choir Gower Chorale and Penclawdd Choirs. He also plays with the Welsh Millennium Trio, The Gower Trio and the Awelan Ensemble. He is a piano adjudicator for the Urdd National Eisteddfod, a member of the “Millennium Awards Fellowship” and also on the executive committee of Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts.
Richard John BMus(Hons)
Born in Neath in 1981, Richard began playing the piano in 1993. From 1996 to 2000 he studied with Miss Mary Rees (formerly Head of Piano at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama). He furthered his studies in 2000 at the Royal College of Music, London, studying piano with Yonty Solomon and composition with Edwin Roxburgh and Kenneth Hesketh. He graduated from the RCM in July 2004.
Richard has performed extensively at a range of venues including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Chipping Campden Music Festival, Cheltenham Town Hall, Salisbury City Hall, Buckingham Palace and at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.
He has made several television appearances and has worked with a wide variety of performers including Isla St. Clair, Max Bygraves and Geri Halliwell.
In demand as an accompanist and a conductor for concerts, competitions and theatrical productions as well as private piano tuition, Richard is currently Musical Director of Gyrlais Male Choir, Joint Accompanist to Dunvant Male Choir and Joint Accompanist to Morriston Phoenix Choir.
Richard’s compositional output consists of solo, ensemble, vocal and choral works.
He is represented by Composers of Wales/Cyfansoddwyr Cymru, a professional organisation based at Wales’ Millennium Centre, which promotes his music.
