Andrew Thompson is a young up-and-coming British Conductor, graduating with a Masters in Orchestral conducting from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under David Jones.
For three consecutive years Andrew was chosen to participate in the ‘London Conducting Workshop’ at the Royal Academy of Music and at the Sherborne Summer School, where he was taught by renowned conductors Neil Thomson and Rodolfo Saglimbeni. In 2016 he attended Austrian conductor Achim Holub’s workshop in Graz achieving 3rd place in the annual competition and winning ‘best rehearsal conductor’ nomination from the orchestra. Most recently Andrew was selected to conduct the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in workshop with Martyn Brabbins and continues to have a close working relationship with the orchestra.
During his undergraduate at Cardiff University he founded the Student Chamber Orchestra conducting Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll to great success, and subsequently performed Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis and the Elgar Cello Concerto. On graduating he was awarded the A. B. Dally Prize for outstanding contribution to the Cardiff University Music Department.
In July 2016 Andrew became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Music. As an undergraduate he consistently earned principal trumpet of the Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra, subsequently winning the prestigious Paul Francis Prize for outstanding brass performance. Since graduating he has performed with the Welsh Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra and plays regularly as a session musician across Wales and the South of England.
Alongside his other engagements, Andrew has been invited to complete a number of arrangements and also orchestrates music for a diverse range of ensembles, most recently for brass quintet and select chamber choir for HRH The Prince of Wales.
Andrew made his operatic debut in 2017 conducting the Cardiff Operatic Society in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, which was highly acclaimed. He currently works with the Junior Conservatoire at the RWCMD, leading small chamber ensembles, teaching conducting lessons and as the music director of the Symphony Orchestra.
