Cantorion & Symphonica Tywi
Introduction to the orchestra
The orchestra was founded in 1992 when Mike Cottam, our conductor, came to Llangadog. The orchestra has currently 35 members drawn from towns and villages throughout the Tywi valley and beyond.
For a profile of the conductor, see our Choir page.
The Leader: Rhys Watkins
Rhys has strong connections with the Tywi valley where his mother grew up. His father Stuart is a well- known former international rugby player. A founder member of Symphonica Tywi along with many of our now young adult players, Rhys led the National Children's Orchestra, the Cardiff High Schools Orchestra and the South Glamorgan County Junior Orchestra as well as being a regional finalist in the Audi and Texaco Young Musician competitions. In 1998 Rhys gained entry into the famous Chetham's School of Music in Manchester where he studied under Professor Wen Zhou Li, leading the school orchestra at a concert in the Royal Northern College of Music. Whilst at 'Chets' he attended several master classes, both in this country and in France. He then went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music under Mateja Marenkovich where he achieved a first class honours degree. During this time he played in many concerts including one as the soloist in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto - a work he also performed with Symphonica Tywi in April 2005. Rhys played a major role in the program Valley of Song for the BBC. He is now based in London and is a member of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Artea String Quartet.
The orchestra in rehearsal
Photos of the orchestra rehearsing for their summer concert in the Great Glasshouse at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales:
For tickets to all events call Mildred on tel: 01558/668637.
