#48 Jo Appleby and Andrew Rees
We are delighted to welcome tenor Andrew Rees and soprano Jo Appleby to our series this Tuesday 2nd March. They have put together a fantastic programme of music from the shows and some of Andy’s favourite Welsh songs.
Andrew Rees was born in Carmarthen, West Wales, and gained an entrance scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and later at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama, London. He joined the Glyndebourne chorus where he understudied many roles and was awarded the Erich Vietheer Prize. He has performed all over the world, including Carnegie Hall, NY; Boston Symphony Hall; Sydney Opera House; Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, and aboard the QEII. He has also performed in opera and oratorio in Helsinki, Weimar, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Prague, St Gallen. Closer to home, he has appeared many times at the Royal Opera house, Covent Garden, ENO, WNO and in some of the major concert halls across the country. He has recorded with Sir Charles Mackerras and performed with Sir Tony Pappano, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Mark Elder, Sakari Oramo, Andris Nelsons, Donald Runnicles, Daniele Gatti, Marc Albrecht, Mark Wigglesworth and Ed Gardner. He has created three roles for Jonathan Dove and created the role of Dr. Yes and Mark Anthony Turnage’s opera Anna Nicole at the ROH.
Andrew now lives in Newick with his wife, Jo Appleby, and their two boys. He is founder conductor of Coro Nuovo, based in Haywards Heath and Musical Director at St. Peter’s Church, Chailey. He is in great demand as a teacher and coach and teaches students as far afield as Hong Kong.
Lancashire born Soprano, Jo Appleby. Is a company member of English National Opera where she has sung a number of roles and understudies Jo studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. She began her professional career with Carl Rosa Opera. She then went on to sing with the Glyndebourne festival and touring chorus where she remained for four seasons.
In 2002 Jo was signed to Sony BMG and spent four years recording and touring internationally as part of multi-Platinum selling, classical crossover group “Amici Forever”. Jo has also toured with Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Cliff Richard.