Meet the director

Cwrdd â'r cyfarwyddwr

A love of music was clear from a very early age and Wayne was inspired to learn to play the piano when he started school at Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran. Aged 6 Wayne was given a piano for Christmas and was playing carols by ear without ever having had a lesson. Soon afterwards Wayne began studying the piano under the expert guidance of Miss L. B. Hopson where his passion was encouraged.

As an active member of the music department at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni Wayne was supported and encouraged by Miss Odette Jones and Mrs Bethan Phillips and during his time there was lucky enough to study the harp under Mrs Bethan Roberts. Musical opportunities were plenty during school life and Wayne often performed on the piano, harp and sang at school concerts, in musicals, carol services and was a winner at the Urdd National Eisteddfod.

Wayne’s professional musical career began aged 16 when Rachel Hamilton formed The Congress Youth Theatre in 1993. He has been their resident Musical Director since its formation and has worked on a vast range of Musical Theatre productions from the traditional works of Gilbert and Sullivan and Rodgers and Hammerstein to the more modern works of Sondheim and Schwartz.

In 1997 Wayne graduated with Honours from the School of Music at Bath Spa University. During his time there he produced and performed in a wide range of musicals and operas often taking lead roles. He was also given the opportunity to produce and direct musicals and in his final year he was given the opportunity to work on the European premiere of Philip Glass’ opera ‘Satyagraha’.

Wayne began his teaching career lecturing on level 3 Musical Theatre courses. He was instrumental in developing the Musical Theatre degree during his time at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and wrote the singing modules at level 4, 5 & 6 accredited by the University of Gloucester. He then moved in to the primary sector and has been responsible for whole school music teaching, developing choirs and orchestras and arranging individual lessons as well as whole class instrumental tuition.

Cerdd Torfaen Music was created in May 2021 during the Covid 19 pandemic as a response to the need for excellent quality and affordable whole class music teaching. Schools that had received grants from the recovery fund at the Arts Council of Wales initially supported the business. Wayne was soon in demand with his services and Cerdd Torfaen Music continues to grow from strength to strength.

In the little spare time he has Wayne conducts Lleisiau Torfaen Voices, a community choir he formed in 2019.

Roedd cariad at gerddoriaeth yn amlwg o oedran cynnar iawn a chafodd Wayne ei ysbrydoli i ddysgu canu’r piano pan ddechreuodd yn yr ysgol yn Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân. Yn 6 oed cafodd Wayne biano ar gyfer y Nadolig ac roedd yn canu carolau wrth glust heb erioed wedi cael gwers. Yn fuan wedyn dechreuodd Wayne astudio’r piano dan arweiniad Miss L. B. Hopson lle anogwyd ei angerdd.

Fel aelod gweithgar o adran gerdd Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni cafodd Wayne gefnogaeth gan Miss Odette Jones a Mrs Bethan Phillips ac yn ystod ei amser bu’n ddigon ffodus i astudio’r delyn o dan arweiniad Mrs Bethan Roberts. Roedd digonedd o gyfleoedd cerddorol yn ystod bywyd ysgol ac roedd Wayne yn aml yn perfformio ar y piano, telyn a chanu mewn cyngherddau ysgol, mewn sioeau cerdd, gwasanaethau carolau ac roedd yn enillydd yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd.

Dechreuodd gyrfa gerddorol broffesiynol Wayne yn 16 oed pan ffurfiodd Rachel Hamilton Theatr Ieuenctid y Congress ym 1993. Ef yw eu Cyfarwyddwr Cerdd breswyl ers ei ffurfiant ac mae wedi gweithio ar eang o gynyrchiadau Theatr Gerddorol o weithiau traddodiadol Gilbert a Sullivan a Rodgers a Hammerstein i weithiau mwy modern Sondheim a Schwartz.

Ym 1997 graddiodd Wayne gydag anrhydedd o'r Ysgol Cerddoriaeth ym Mhrifysgol Bath Sba. Yn ystod ei amser yno cynhyrchodd a pherfformiodd mewn ystod eang o weithiau corawl, sioeau cerdd ac operâu gan gymryd prif rannau yn aml. Cafodd gyfle hefyd i gynhyrchu a chyfarwyddo cynyrchiadau i’r llwyfan ac yn ei flwyddyn olaf cafodd gyfle i weithio ar y première Ewropeaidd o opera Philip Glass, ‘Satyagraha’.

Dechreuodd Wayne ei yrfa addysgu yn darlithio ar gyrsiau lefel 3 Theatr Gerdd. Bu’n allweddol wrth ddatblygu’r radd Theatr Gerdd yn ystod ei amser yn South Gloucestershire and Stroud College ac ysgrifennodd y modiwlau canu ar lefel 4, 5 a 6 a achredwyd gan Brifysgol Caerloyw. Symudodd wedyn i’r sector cynradd a bu’n gyfrifol am ddysgu cerddoriaeth ysgol gyfan, datblygu corau a cherddorfeydd a threfnu gwersi unigol yn ogystal â gwersi offerynnol dosbarth cyfan.

Crëwyd Cerdd Torfaen Music ym mis Mai 2021 yn ystod pandemig Covid 19 fel ymateb i’r angen am addysg cerddoriaeth dosbarth cyfan fforddiadwy o ansawdd rhagorol. I ddechrau ysgolion oedd wedi derbyn grantiau o'r gronfa adfer yng Nghyngor Celfyddydau Cymru oedd wedi cefnogi'r busnes. Cyn hir roedd galw mawr ar Wayne a’i wasanaethau ac mae Cerdd Torfaen Music yn parhau i dyfu o nerth i nerth.

Yn yr ychydig amser sbâr sydd ganddo mae Wayne yn arwain Lleisiau Torfaen, côr cymunedol a ffurfiwyd ganddo yn 2019.