Music Director, Welsh Camerata, Early Music Choir, Cardiff

The Welsh Camerata

The Welsh Camerata is a well-established specialist early music choir, led by Andrew Wilson-Dickson since its foundation twenty years ago. He is now stepping aside, and the choir is seeking a new Music Director.

The choir comprises between 25-30 singers. Entry is by audition only and good sight-reading ability is required. Prospective singers usually attend one or two rehearsals before being invited to audition.

The choir is known for its historically-informed presentation of music from the medieval, renaissance and baroque, with forays into later periods including occasional new commissions. Andrew Wilson-Dickson’s strong links with the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama have often given us the opportunity to perform with its early music instrumentalists and this is something that we would hope to continue.

Welsh Camerata normally puts on three concerts each year, each of which is typically supported by 10 rehearsals. Concert venues are usually in the Cardiff area though occasionally the choir has sung elsewhere in Wales and venues including in Bristol, Devon and London. At times we have been invited to take part in other performances, including radio recordings, services, weddings and public events.

The Welsh Camerata meets on Tuesday evenings 7.30 – 9.30 in Canton Uniting Church, Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF5 1LQ. This is a spacious venue with a grand piano and access to a keyboard with variable pitch and tuning/temperament settings. We do not employ a regular accompanist.

Details of our past concerts, and short sound extracts, can be found at welshcamerata.org

The Music Director

The following qualities are essential:

● Passion for and knowledge of early music from medieval to baroque

● Demonstrable experience of conducting a variety of choral groups

● Ability to lead and inspire, with an engaging personality

● Ability to work with the choir to programme imaginative and attractive concerts

● Organisational and practical planning skills

● Knowledge of vocal production/coaching/achieving a blend of the voices

● Experience of working with instrumentalists to accompany performances, where required

● Keyboard skills to work with the choir in rehearsal

The following qualities are desirable:

● Ability to make arrangements of music as necessary

● Connections to help find musicians for concerts etc

● Ability to contribute specialist comments for programme notes