Rhys Taylor

Born in Aberystwyth, Rhys started playing the clarinet aged 8 and by the age of eleven he was a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, where he realised his dream of becoming a professional clarinettist. In 2005 Rhys graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music, gaining First Class Honours and has performed many concertos with various orchestras since then, including many renditions of Mozart’s clarinet concerto and one of Rhys’ career highlights, Copland’s Clarinet Concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. November 2006 saw the release of Rhys’ debut album, ‘In Two Minds / Mewn Dau Feddwl’, on the ‘Kissan’ record label. Comfortable on the international circuit, Rhys nevertheless retains a strong sense of the musical passions of his roots. ‘Eisteddfodau’ are very close to Rhys’ heart and he has gained a superb record of gold medals whilst competing over the years. At the age of 18 he won the 18-25 Open Instrumental competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod and in September 2006, won the ‘Bryn Terfel Urdd Scholarship Award’, of which he was appointed Musical Director 2 years later. In 1997 at the very young age of 14 Rhys gained his druid robes and became a member of Gorsedd y Beirdd (the ‘Bards Circle’ of Wales). Over the years Rhys has worked in many different roles in the National Eisteddfods including performer, adjudicator, TV and radio pundit, master of ceremonies and writer and performer for many gigs and evening concerts. Rhys’ orchestral experience is extensive and is now regularly playing with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Welsh Sinfonia and Welsh National Opera. Also comfortable in Musical Theatre, Rhys has a wide experience in musical direction and pit playing. Rhys has worked as a flute, clarinet and saxophone player on the UK national tours of ‘Oliver!’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Anything Goes’, ‘Flowers for Mrs Harris’, ‘Billy Elliot’, ‘Miss Saigon’ and ‘Matilda’. Over recent years Rhys has also began arranging and composing and has arranged music for TV, radio and live concerts for artists such as Bryn Terfel, Ruthie Henshall, Ben Forster, Lucie Jones and Kerry Ellis and in 2016 arranged and orchestrated the score for ‘The Golden Age of Dance’ concerts with the Novello Orchestra at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the Wales Millennium Centre. Rhys’ first original musical theatre composition ‘Nyrsys’ premiered in the autumn of 2018, touring welsh theatres with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, gaining critical acclaim. Future engagements include work with Welsh National Opera, the RT Dixieband and Big Band, Rhys’s new band ’50 shêd o Lleucu Llwyd’ and other national theatre touring musicals.