Rhian Thomas
Musical Director
Rhian took over the Musical Director role in October 2019. She was born in Bridgend and is a graduate of the Welsh Collage of Music and Drama, where she won the coveted John Ireland Piano Prize.
Rhian is Head of Music at Pencoed Comprehensive School, having previously been Head of Music at Maesteg Comprehensive.
Rhian is very much at home conducting Male Voice Choirs, children's choirs, mixed choirs and massed choirs. She is also an accomplished accompanist and is in great demand with opera singers and choirs alike.
The choir feel that we are very lucky to have a musician of such great calibre.
Music Team
Stephan Ulberini
Deputy Musical Director
Stephan studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, gaining his degree in Music and then trained at The Royal Academy of Music London, graduating with a Masters Degree in Opera, under the tutelage of Ryland Davies.
After graduating, he went on to sing in many of the UK's top opera houses and then across the world. Stephan now teaches music and drama at Olchfa Comprehensive School.
Stephan has said he is delighted to be appointed Deputy Musical Director to the Kenfig Hill & District Male Voice Choir, and is looking forward to supporting Rhian in helping the choir continue going from strength to strength.
Rachel Starritt
Principal Accompanist
Kenfig Hill & District Male Voice Choir are pleased to officially announce the appointment of Rachel Starritt as our principal accompanist,
Blind from birth, Rachel was born in Bridgend, South Wales in 1994. She has received formal training on the piano since 2006 with Alison Bowring and studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) where she recently achieved a distinction in piano performance as a postgraduate student (MMus).
Rachel completed a six month Erasmus placement at the Conservatori Liceu in Barcelona under the tutelage of pianist Alba Ventura.
As a student at RWCMD, Rachel has enjoyed masterclasses with the Labéque Sisters, Stephen Osborne, Peter Jablonski, Angela Hewitt and Valentina Lisitsa. Additionally, she received guidance at the annual NLPS summer course at the Purcell school with renowned professors Dr Michael Schreider (Guildhall), lrina Osipova (Moscow), Irina Berkovich (Israel) and William Fong (RAM).
Rachel's piano improvisation skills complement her love of jazz and she currently leads a jazz trio 'The Rachel Starritt Trio', which appeared at the Brecon Jazz Festival in 2020 and 2021. At Chetham’s Piano Summer School she studied with Nikki lies and Douglas Finch and has also received lessons with the renowned Welsh pianist and composer Huw Warren.
Having delivered several acclaimed performances in local competitions and nationally, Rachel has also played piano at a number of venues and private functions with diverse music genres including classical, jazz and contemporary/popular culture.
Rachel also has a talent for languages with fluency in both Welsh and Spanish and conversational competence in French and Italian. At the 2021 Brecon Jazz Festival she frequently appeared as an announcer, introducing acts in both Welsh and English, sharing these duties with violinist Heulwen Thomas.
Rachel is a member of the British Paraorchestra and sponsored by Help Musicians UK.
Our Choir
Committee
Where the Passion Begins
Terry Thomas
Chairman
Tony Ulberini
Secretary
Steve Reece
Treasurer
Paul Butterworth
Vice Chairman
Phil Grant
Committee Member
Gwyn Hodges
Committee Member
Paul Pritchard
Committee Member
Paul Dixon
Committee Member
Tony Howells
Committee Member