Brian Hughes is considered to be one of the most important choral composers living in Wales today.

The highly charged rhythmic energy of his music coupled with his knowledge of vocal technique
produces a fresh, contemporary style that is both readily singable and stimulating for both audiences
and performers alike.

His works are regularly performed by both amateur choral groups and professional singers throughout the
country. Perhaps a recognition of his choral expertise is the fact that the Llangollen International Eisteddfod
commissioned him to write a test piece for the 2007 Male Voice Choir competition: this was a setting
of William Blake's 'Tyger!Tyger! Burning Bright'.

Over the last 10 years he has been embarking on a series of large scale works
which have been enthusiastically received. These include 'Te Deum',
commissioned by Harrogate Choral Society, 'Tanau' for full symphony orchestra
and brass band commissioned by the Welsh Proms (2003), 'Pren Planedig' for
soprano and orchestra commissioned by Laudamus, and his 'Requiem' for mixed
and male chorus commissioned by Trawsnewid - a cultural organization in
Gwynedd, North Wales. In 2007 "The Bells of Paradise" was written for Gresford Parish Church and "Trafod", a concerto for flutes, percussion and strings was comissioned by Sinfonia Cymru.

Brian Hughes as Music Director

The Alun School Singers of Mold, Flintshire were the first group under his
charge which received National acclaim, whilst the 'Cynwrig Singers", a mixed
Voice Choir', were very successful in the competitive world and made many radio
and television appearances in the 60's and 70's.

The chorus of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester had a reputation for consistently attaining
the highest professional standards in both concert work and operas, and gave Brian he opportunity of working
with some of the leading conductors in Britain. This in turn led to working with the Buxton Festival Chorus,
the Cheltenham Festival Chorus and the Gothenburg Opera Chorus.

Biography

Brian Hughes was born in Ponciau, North Wales and graduated from Cardiff University. He is well known as
a composer, conductor, accompanist and vocal consultant he was for many years Chorus Master and Head
of Opera Music Staff at the Royal Northern College of Music and has been awarded a Fellowship from his own
college and from the Royal College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.

Among the many well known choruses he has conducted are those of the

Buxton International
The Gothenburg Opera
Cheltenham Festival
and the Britten Singers.

He relinquished his full-time post at the RNCM in 1992 to pursue his many other musical commitments. During
his time at the college he directed many memorable performances including

Britten's Spring Symphony

and his own opera Stars and Shadows which was also performed in London and Birmingham.

In 1993 he was engaged as

Music director for the Australian premiere of
Britten's Billy Budd at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

His many professional engagement as conductor range from

Bach's St John Passion and Christmas Oratorio

to contemporary Operas such as

Stephen Oliver's The Waiter's Revenge
Peter Maxwell Davis' The two fiddlers
The Little Sweep by Britten.

In 1990 the work 'Dadl Dau' was commissioned by the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra and performed in
St. David's Hall, Cardiff; 'Strata' for very large orchestra (inspired by Strata Florida) was performed by
the RNCM Symphony Orchestra in Manchester and Kendal in 1991 whilst the Clwyd Youth Orchestra
gave performances of "What's Next?" in 1994

Among his larger scale choral works is It is for Man, for massed -children's voices and two pianos,
premiered at Chester Cathedral in 1993. His flute Sonatina won a competition sponsored by the Guild for
the Promotion of Welsh Music, and 'Quando!', for clarinet and piano was commissioned in 1994 by the Rhyl
Festival.

He has written choral an orchestral works for

The Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales
The BBC
HTV
and the National Youth Choir of Wales

His Three Shakespearean Songs for soprano and piano were first performed at the Purcell Room, London
in 1992. He wrote songs for S4C television's A Century of Song in 1995, and in 1996 his Japanese Nursery
Songs were premiered at the Chester National Youth Choir Festival. Te Deum, a large scale work for
soloists, chorus and orchestra was first performed at Ripon Cathedral in 1998 and Pren Plandedig, for
soprano soloist, male voice choir and orchestra was performed three times under his direction in 2002,
and was given a further performance at Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2003. In July 2003 the first
performance of Tanau, for brass and orchestra was given by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and
Cory Brass Band at the Welsh Proms in St. David's Hall, Cardiff. The premiere of his Requiem took place
in Trawsfynydd, North Wales in April 2005 - the unusual scoring for this work is: tenor soloist, mixed and
male voice chorus, violin solo, percussion and piano and there have been further performances in St.Asaph
and Carmarthen.

The premiére of his Dylan Thomas songs "Darkness Comes Psalming" was given at the Dylan Thomas
Centre, Swansea on 25th October 2006, 7:30pm as part of the Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts.
Link to Swansea Festival Website.

He studied piano with Patrick Piggot and has served as accompanist to singers in Masterclasses with
Joan Hammond, Joan Sutherland and Sherill Milnes.

He is a specialist Vocal Consultant and works regularly with leading amateur and professional singers.

Composer : Accompanist : Arranger : Vocal Consultant :
Choral Workshops : Agent for Vocal & Instrumental Recitals