With sadness we note the passing of Dr Roy Wales BEM.
Roy was an early member of abcd, and its national Chair. Members who remember working with him describe him as 'very much a doer. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a clear idea of where an organisation should go and how it should all be done, he was great fun to be with'. He was also responsible for the early formation of our regional structure.
Roy held many musical positions during a long career which included time in Australia. He was Director of Music at the University of Warwick from 1974 to 1980, Director of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (now Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University) from 1981 to 1987, and Principal of the Birmingham School of Music (now Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) from 1987 to 1989.
He founded many choirs and choruses including Southend Festival Chorus, Brisbane Chorale and the English Concert Singers and Chorus.
Roy founded the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival in 2003, creating what became one of the largest festivals of male choral music in the world. He was its first Festival Director and latterly was made Vice-President of the organisation. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for services to Choral Music and was a hugely respected musical director in many genres of music making.
Posted: Wed 28th February 2024