Musical Director D. Huw Rees BMus (Hons)
Huw Rees, a native of Swansea, studied music at Cardiff University where he studied piano under Stephen Price, voice with Clifford Bunford, organ with Robert Court and composition under Dr. Richard Elfyn Jones. During this time Huw became a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales and accompanist to several choirs in the Cardiff area.
Huw has been associated with Morriston RFC Male Choir since 1990, first as the choir accompanist and in 2004 as its Musical Director. These commitments were honoured in 2005 with life membership and in May 2022 for his 32 years of service as accompanist and Musical Director. Huw also fullfills other duties as Joint Accompanist to Dunvant Male Choir and as an accompanist to Parti Llwchwr, and is in significant demand elsewhere to organisations such as Urdd Gobaith Cymru, S4C’s Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol and others. Huw’s long standing commitment to the Urdd organisation stretches back to 1993 as an accompanist, Vice Chair of the 2018 Urdd Eisteddfod and adjudicator. He is Chair of the Music Committee in 2025 when the Urdd Eisteddfod comes to Margam, Neath Port Talbot.
Huw’s conducting skills have found him conducting the massed male voice choirs at the opening concert of the National Eisteddfod in Swansea in 2006. Huw also had the honour of conducting his own arrangement of the West End song ‘This is the Moment’ from the musical Jekyll and Hyde at the Festival of Male Voice Choirs (1,000 voices) at the MEN Arena, Manchester. Also in 2012, Huw conducted the massed performers at the Interceltique Festival in Lorient, Brittany.
Huw is by nature, a collaborative musician and in 2015 he worked with stars of Britain’s Got Talent including Richard and Adam, Julian Reynolds and the Latvian Opera Orchestra on the Number 1 Classical Album Chart with the CD ‘Believe: Songs of Inspiration’.
In recognition of his past and on-going commitment to music in the Swansea and wider area, Huw attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in the presence of the newly crowned King Charles.
Deputy Musical Director Helen Elizabeth Wyn BMus (Hons)
Helen joined the musical team at Morriston RFC Male Choir in 2009. She is an an experienced and accomplished accompanist and conductor as well as for her singing, production and direction skills in both musical theatre and opera. Helen is, like Huw, a national adjudicator in both music, singing and choral.
Helen’s career includes over 30 years as Head of Music at two secondary schools in Carmarthen. She then moved to develop other interests including Director of Cwmni Mega Dram Company and as Musical Director of Carmarthen Amateur Opera Company, which she undertook for over 20 years.
Helen’s work extends to youth community work for Urdd Gobaith Cymru and in 2007 she was Chair of the Music Committee for the Eisteddod yr Urdd Sir Gar.
Accompanist Rhiannon Pritchard BMus (Hons)
Rhiannon graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama RWCMD in 2009 where she studied piano with Head of Keyboard, Richard McMahon.
She has been awarded many prizes for her work as an accompanist and repetiteur including the Welsh National Youth Opera Seligman Award, the RWCMD Mansel Thomas prize and Accompanist Prize, and Gwobr Goffa Eleri Evans, the accompanist prize at the National Eisteddfod.
Rhiannon is in demand as an accompanist all over Wales, and is an official accompanist for three of Wales’ main musical festivals: The National Eisteddfod, Llangollen International Eisteddfod and the Urdd Eisteddfod. She works as a repetiteur with Welsh National Opera’s Youth and Community department, and performs in many workshops and recitals. She also works with many different soloists and companies, including Live Music Now, Mahogany Opera, ABC of Opera, The Forget Me Not Chorus and Music in Hospitals. She also works extensively as a piano tutor, and is a vocal coach and accompanist for RWCMD’s vocal department.
Rhiannon was accompanist and deputy conductor of the 2014 BBC Choir of the Year, 2019 S4C ‘Choir of Wales’, and the 2019 National Eisteddfod’s ‘Côr yr Wyl’, Côr CF1. She is also accompanist of Côr y Gleision, City Voices and of course, Morriston RFC Male Voice Choir. Her choral roles have seen her travel to South Africa, America, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Europe.
Accompanist Siân Davies BMus(Hons)
Siân graduated from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with an honours degree in music. Siân specialises in piano accompaniment.
Siân has appeared over many years as guest accompanist for singers such as Rebecca Evans, Gail Pearson, Donald Maxwell, Charlotte Church and others, and has accompanied Master classes given by Stephen Isserlis and Julian Lloyd Webber. Siân has a wealth of experience accompanying many of the male-voice choirs across South Wales and as a mixed voice accompanist for Cor Meibion De Cymru.
Siân joined the musical team of the choir in 2022 and we were delighted to welcome her to our ranks.
