Ep. 50: Tim Rhys-Evans

In this podcast, we hear from Tim Rhys-Evans who is Director of Music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I talked to him about how the past two years have been in the role (in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic), what his post entails as well as many of the College's exciting and varied opportunities. They include an international concert series at the Dora Stoutzker concert hall and a new BMus programme focusing on areas such as collaboration, artistry and the role of a musician in society. We also talk about the importance of mental health. Tim featured in a BBC documentary called All in the Mind which won a Welsh BAFTA and aired in May 2016. In this programme, he talked candidly and openly to camera about his experiences of mental health, while maintaining a successful music career, most notably, with his choirs Only Men Aloud (winners of the BBC One reality choir competition Last Choir Standing) and Only Boys Aloud (which made the final of ITV's Britain's Got Talent). This led us to discuss why he made the documentary, advice for music students and young musicians to improve their mental health and what the Royal Welsh College has been doing to promote mental health and wellbeing. This podcast raises many pertinent issues and questions regarding what a conservatoire should look like in the twenty-first century, and the Royal Welsh College is certainly a prime example. Please note that the latter half of this podcast contains discussion of suicidal ideation and mental illness. Recorded 15 September 2021 over Zoom; published 25 September 2021. Tim's bio: https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/staff/tim-rhys-evans.