Artistic team
Project Manager and Curator
Robert hails from North Wales and is a conductor, concert presenter, artistic director and teacher with a breadth of communication and interpersonal skills. An advocate of new music, Robert has conducted 35 world premières which include working with the Orchestra of Opera North, Manchester Camerata and NEW Sinfonia. He was selected by Kirill Karabits to work with the Britten Pears Orchestra in their Young Artists’ Programme and the first Online Digital Masterclass with Neemi Järvi hosted by Meta Artists International.
Robert’s collaborative approach to building trust with musicians has been shaped by his early professional career as a viola player, where he notably played with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and alongside the Allegri and Edinburgh String Quartets. As a guest conductor Robert works regularly with Manchester Camerata where he has performed with Tine Thing Helseth, recorded for Sony Playstation and performed for Manchester International Festival. Robert is Director of the University of Manchester’s elite undergraduate conducting programme, Head of Choral Programmes and Director of Ensembles.
Jon Guy is a music creator based in Stockport, with a strong attachment to North Wales where he grew up and continues to produce and perform music. He is a cofounder of NEW Sinfonia, an innovative orchestra based in North Wales. Originally its purpose was to provide professional experience to emerging musicians, but now they want to be a trailblazer in creating new musical experiences for new audiences in Wales and beyond.
His role as Co-artistic Director and Composer in Residence with NEW Sinfonia allows him explore his broad interest in many genres of music, drawing inspiration from a range of music creators on the orchestra’s collaborative projects.
As well composing and performing with NEW Sinfonia, as a clarinettist Jon has performed with the Orchestra of Opera North, BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Northern Chamber Orchestra and is the Bass Clarinettist with the IMMIX Contemporary Music Ensemble who are based in Liverpool.
Bethan is an award winning harpist and pianist based in North Wales, she graduated with a Master of Performance on Harp with Distinction in 2019 and was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Rose Bowl award. Bethan won first prize in the National Eisteddfod harp solo as well as being chosen as a finalist in the prestigious Blue Riband competition on two occasions. In 2016 she was awarded the Nansi Richards Scholarship for harpists as well as the Royal College of Music Harp Prize.
Bethan performs with many orchestras across the UK including NEW Sinfonia - resident orchestra at the North Wales International Music Festival, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. A keen chamber musician, Bethan performs regularly with her Flute and Harp group, ‘Hefin Duo’ as well as ‘Trilogy’, a flute, harp and viola trio.
