Musical Staff
Musical Director - Conal Bembridge-Sayers
Originally from Mold, Conal recently returned to Wales to work at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, having previously worked for the Opera Vlaanderen, Belgium.
He studied for both his Batchelor in Music and his Postgraduate Diploma in Repetiteur Studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and since then has worked with the BBC National Chorus of Wales, National Boys Choir of Great Britain, and the National Eisteddfodau, among others.
Deputy Musical-Director; Organist and Joint-Accompanist - Ieuan Jones
Originally from Anglesey, Ieuan moved to Cardiff to study music at the University of Cardiff, where he received an honours B.Mus degree. During his studies, he became an organ scholar at Dewi Sant church and is now Musical Director and choirmaster there.
He was offered an opportunity to be the accompanist of Côr Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal and during his seven years with the choir they won several first prizes at the Urdd Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod and were named the best youth choir in Wales by winning their category in the Choir of Wales competition.
He is Musical Director of the Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir and In January 2020 Ieuan was appointed Musical Director of Pendyrus Male Choir. He is also the Musical Director of the British and Irish Lions Male Voice Choir and toured New Zealand with them in 2017. His other musical interests include playing the ukulele, and entertaining audiences with his talent as a yodeller.
Joint-Accompanist - Helen Roberts
Helen was born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. She started to learn a variety of musical instruments at an early age including the flute and violin but soon developed an aptitude for the piano.
In 2000, Helen became the principal accompanist for the Silver Ring Choir of Bath, during which time she undertook concert tours of Germany and Holland.
Following a concert in 2003 featuring the Silver Ring Choir and Treorchy Male Choir, Helen was invited to become the deputy accompanist to Treorchy and joined them on their successful tour of Australia in 2004.
She was presented with Honorary Lady Membership of the Choir in 2007 and in the same year graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff .
Helen accompanied the Treorchy Male Choir on its tour of Australia & New Zealand in 2009 and also on three occasions to Monaco where guests included Dame Shirley Bassey and Rhys Ifans.
Most recently, she has also been involved with numerous operatic and musical theatre groups such as Cardiff University Operatic Society and Radyr Music Society where she has lead and directed rehearsals.
Helen is an official accompanist for the South Glamorgan Festival for Young Musicians as well as a number other music festivals for children of all ages. She has also been heavily involved over a number of years with the Rotary by accompanying singers and instrumentalists in their music competitions.
Alongside her active musical life, Helen completed a PGCE working in secondary schools and is currently working at the University of South Wales. She has worked with many organisations delivering educational music projects for both adults and children, including the National Dance Company Wales and Hijinx Theatre Company.