Pupils sock it to them for Down Syndrome Day

A TALENTED conductor conducted the premiere of a piece of Welsh music on St David’s Day – in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.

Robert Guy, 30, tutor in conducting at the University of Huddersfield, was invited to be an adjudicator at a traditional Welsh festival of literature, music and performance, known as an Eisteddfod, in Astana, the central Asian country’s capital.

Robert, the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed NEW Sinfonia orchestra, also conducted a St David’s Day concert at a prestigious venue in the city.

Both events were arranged by Ross Clarke, a music teacher at a British “world” school in Astana, who became friends with Robert during their days playing together with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales.

The concert, during which Robert wielded the guest baton for the Astana Philharmonic, featured Welsh work “Serenade for Orchestra” by William Mathias, who was professor of music at Bangor University and founded the North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph.

Robert is a regular guest conductor to the Manchester Camerata, principal conductor to the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of Square Chapel in Halifax.

He founded NEW Sinfonia with his brother Jonathan in 2011 to provide a showcase for talented young musicians. It is now orchestra in residence with the North Wales International Music Festival where he has worked with esteemed artists such as Federico Colli, Ye-Eun Choi and Tamsin Waley-Cohen.

Robert, who hails from Wrexham, is also director of choral programme at the University of Manchester. He has worked with

WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. the Berliner Philharmoniker Ensemble, the Berlin Sinfonietta, the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber Choir and was conductor in residence at the Inspire Arts Festival in Jeju, South Korea.

Said Robert: “I’ve worked in quite a few countries over the years but this will be my first time in Kazakhstan.

“I first met my friend Ross Clarke, who studied at Cheetham’s School of Music in Manchester, when we played together in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales about 15 years ago – Ross on trumpet and myself on viola. I was thrilled that he invited me to go over there to be an adjudicator at the event,’’