Tecwyn Evans

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Tecwyn Evans
Tecwyn Evans rehearsing the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, April 2016.jpg
Rehearsing the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, April 2016
Born (1971-09-15) 15 September 1971 (age 53)
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation Conductor
Spouse Susanna Andersson
Parent(s)Donald and Elizabeth Evans (née Hope)

Tecwyn Evans (born 15 September 1971) is a New Zealand conductor. [1] He holds a faculty position teaching conducting at the University of Auckland School of Music and in 2018 he was named as Director of Music of Den Jyske Opera (Danish National Opera). [2] [3]

Contents

Evans has shared the concert platform with soloists including Steven Isserlis, Rebecca Evans, Jonathan Lemalu, Martin Roscoe, Anthony Marwood, [4] So Ock Kim, Nicola Benedetti, Jennifer Pike, [5] Marlis Petersen, Bryn Terfel, James Rutherford, Dame Malvina Major, [6] Susanna Andersson, Nicolas Altstaedt, Peter Auty, and Elin Manahan Thomas. [7]

Across ten countries Evans has conducted the BBC Philharmonic, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, [8] the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, the Orchestra of Opera North, [9] Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Grazer Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Salomon Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands, Queensland and Adelaide symphony orchestras. [10]

Career

Early life in New Zealand

Tecwyn Evans was born in Auckland, New Zealand, son of Donald and Elizabeth Evans (née Hope). Evans grew up in Auckland until 1977 when his father moved to Hamilton as part of his work with South Pacific Television. The family moved again in 1981, this time to Dunedin. Evans sang in the St Paul's Cathedral Choir, attended Arthur Street Primary School, Balmacewen Intermediate, and Otago Boys' High School before graduating with a BMus in Composition and Conducting, and Masters in Composition from the University of Otago studying under Associate Professor Jack W.M. Speirs. During this time he was instrumental in the development of the Southern Youth Choir, and in 1995 became Composer in Residence with the Southern Sinfonia (now Dunedin Symphony Orchestra). From 1989 to 1995 Evans was a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir [11] and from 1990 to 1996 a member of the University of Otago Capping Sextet. [12]

Early conducting and positions

After his studies in New Zealand, Evans left on a Fulbright Scholarship to study conducting at the University of Kansas with Brian Priestman and Simon Carrington. [13] His career began when Sir Andrew Davis appointed him Chorus Master for Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1999, [14] the following year making his Glyndebourne debut conducting performances of La Bohème on the Glyndebourne Tour. From 2009 to 2011 Evans held the post of Erste Kapellmeister und Stellvertreter des Chef Dirigenten at Grazer Oper in Graz, Austria. [15] [16]

Evans has conducted Don Giovanni (English Touring Opera), Die Fledermaus (ETO), Fidelio, La Bohème, Pelleas et Melisande (Opera Theatre Company, Dublin), [17] The Rake's Progress, Eugene Onegin (Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester), [18] Hansel and Gretel (New Zealand Opera), [19] Rotter (Oper Köln), Carmen (Gothenburg Opera/University of Otago), Madama Butterfly (Grazer Oper/Danish National Opera, University of Otago), Aida (Lyric Opera Productions), La Rondine, L'elisir d'amore, Falstaff (Opera North), Die Meistersinger, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Csardasfürstin, La Traviata, Don Giovanni, Faust, The Queen of Spades (Grazer Oper), [20] Maria Stuarda, Simon Boccanegra (Chelsea Opera Group). [21]

His appearance in the final of the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition led to his debut with the BBC Philharmonic and at the BBC Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall with the same orchestra. [22] His German operatic debut came in 2008 stepping in at two weeks' notice to conduct Torsten Rasch's opera Rotter at Oper Köln.[ citation needed ]

Other highlights of his career so far have been a CD of music by NZ composer Anthony Ritchie with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, [23] conducting the world premiere of Ross Harris's Violin Concerto no. 1 with British violinist Anthony Marwood and the same orchestra, and recording a CD with Bryn Terfel and the orchestra of Welsh National Opera for Deutsche Grammophon. [24] He has also appeared in concert with Bryn and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. In July 2013, Evans conducted three world premieres of John Tavener with the BBC Philharmonic at the Manchester International Festival. [25] 2014 saw premieres of Anthony Ritchie's Violin Concerto with Southern Sinfonia and Bella Hristova and the opera This Other Eden by Anthony Ritchie and Michelanne Forster at Arts Festival Dunedin. [26]

Later positions

In 2015, Evans returned to the BBC Philharmonic, recording a concert of NZ and Australian music for the 2015 Anzac Day commemorations and worked with Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg recording the orchestral tracks as part of John Psathas' 'No Man's Land' project. [27] Other recent highlights include BBC New generation artist recordings with BBC NOW and soloists Pavel Kolesnikov and Narek Hakhnazaryan, Messiah with Huddersfield Choral Society and the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Messiah in Edinburgh, his Norwegian debut with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and performances of Gershwin's Crazy for You with Gothenburg Opera. [28] Early in 2016, Evans made his debut with the BBC Singers and returns to the ensemble in 2017. [29]

In January 2017 he was appointed to a two-year fixed term position at the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries at the University of Auckland as Lecturer in Ensemble Conducting. [30]

Personal life

He lives in Kvidinge, Sweden with his wife, Swedish soprano Susanna Andersson. [31]

Recordings

Awards

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Tecwyn Evans – Maestro Arts". maestroarts.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  2. ↑ Lewis, John (7 April 2018). "Evans in Danish opera role". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. ↑ "New Zealand conductor Tecwyn Evanshas been appointed Director of Music for Danish National Opera" (PDF). Den Jyske Opera. 14 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "See the NZSO in a Whole New Light | Artist News | NZ Music Commission". nzmusic.org.nz. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Family Prom @www.classicalsource.com". classicalsource.com. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Review: NZSO at Auckland Town Hall - Entertainment - NZ Herald News". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Classical review: John Tavener, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester International Festival | The Independent". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "BBC - National Orchestra of Wales - Events". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Huddersfield Choral Society concert features Gloria and A Sea Symphony - Huddersfield Examiner". examiner.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "The Advertiser". adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Tecwyn Evans | Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand". choirsnz.co.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "A chorus of laughs – the Sextet | University of Otago 1869-2019". otago150years.wordpress.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  13. ↑ "KU Students, Faculty, Collaborators". simoncarrington.com. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  14. ↑ "Performance archive — Glyndebourne". glyndebourne.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  15. ↑ Lewis, John (16 May 2009). "Top conducting post for ex-Otago man". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "NZSO Conductor appointed to prestigious European Orchestra and Opera House | All the conducting masterclasses". conductingmasterclass.wordpress.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  17. ↑ "Pelleas & Melisande | Production Archive | Opera Theatre Company". opera.ie. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  18. ↑ "Eugene Onegin @ RNCM - Manchester Evening News". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  19. ↑ "Opera takes to the road with Hansel and Gretel | Scoop News". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  20. ↑ "Tecwyn Evans | Oper Graz". oper-graz.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  21. ↑ "Chelsea Opera Group". chelseaoperagroup.org.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  22. ↑ "BBC - Proms 2007 Prom 10 - Jamboree! - event - BBC Proms". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  23. ↑ "RITCHIE A bugle will do - Atoll ACD741 [NB]: Classical Music Reviews - November 2012 MusicWeb-International". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  24. 1 2 "BRYN TERFEL Carols & Christmas Songs - 2 CDs / Download - Buy Now". deutschegrammophon.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  25. ↑ "Classical review: John Tavener, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester International Festival | The Independent". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  26. ↑ "SOUNZ - This Other Eden - Anthony Ritchie". sounz.org.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  27. ↑ "No Man's Land (2016) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  28. ↑ "About us | The Göteborg Opera". en.opera.se. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  29. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 - Afternoon on 3, BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Orchestra in Concert - Music Played". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  30. ↑ "Mr Tecwyn Evans - The University of Auckland". creative.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  31. ↑ "Från Västra Torup kyrka till Metropolitan i New York | Norra Skåne". nsk.se. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  32. ↑ "AtollCD: A Bugle Will Do – Anthony Ritchie, NZSO cond. Tecwyn Evans". atollcd.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  33. ↑ "Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata - DVD A-Z DVD - Arthaus Musik".
  34. ↑ "Find new music with Rippletunes and check out all of today's releases in every single genre".
  35. ↑ "This is Me".
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