Gwilym Stacey
Gwilym Stacey was born in North Wales and started to learn to
piano at age 6. He studied music at Durham University where,
already in demand as an accompanist, he had the dubious honour of playing
in four ‘Fresher’s Concerts’: he was only supposed to play at one! After
taking his degree and three music diplomas he was accepted at St John’s
College, Cambridge for his PGCE where he studied piano with Ivor Randall
Davies. His first teaching post was at Merrow Grange Catholic School
in Guildford and during this time he performed the Bach Concerto for two
pianos and the Mozart ‘Double’ Concerto in Guildford Cathedral. At age 26
he was appointed Head of Music at Bishop Challoner School in Basingstoke
where he ran a prize-winning choir and produced several musicals. In 1987
he performed Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto with the then Kingsclere
Orchestra conducted by John Fuller.
In 1990 he was appointed teacher and accompanist on the Hampshire
Specialist Music Course at Peter Symonds College in Winchester where he
worked for 17 years teaching both theoretical and practical ‘A’ level music.
It was in 2005 that he first met and worked as pianist with Hannalie Bekker in Thornden School’s wonderful
production of ‘Follies’ which he says was one of the highlights of his performing career. He is thrilled to have been
asked by Hannalie to rehearse and play with The Community Choir for this evening’s performance in Romsey
Abbey.
In 2007 Gwilym decided to take ‘early retirement’ which has actually resulted in lots of jobs including
accompanist for Compton and Shawford Choir, Botley Choir and Warsash Choir and he is also the organist of St
Michaels’ Church in Andover.