Musical Team

Matthew Lewis - Musical Director

Matthew has been involved in music from a very early age and comes from a musical family. He attended Twywn and Glan Afan Comprehensive School and was a member of the school choirs and orchestra and was also the school's accompanist for the musical theatre productions.

He also attended Neath Port Talbot College studying a National Diploma in Musical Theatre and A.S. and A Level Music and also vocal coaching with Llinos Haf Richards. Whilst in college Matthew accompanied many of the college's Musical Theatre Major Productions and was also the accompanist for the Associated Board and Trinity singing exams that were held at the college.

He began his organ tuition with Howell Price where he passed his Grade 5 and then passed his Grade 8 exam with distinction. During this time he also attained distinction in the Royal School of Church Music Dean and Bishop singing awards.

In 1997 Matthew joined the Port Talbot Cymric Male Choir as a trainee accompanist with Roger Chilcott and in 2005 became the official accompanist of the Cymric and is now the Musical Director.

He has been the accompanist for the Ospreys Supporters Choir, Neath Polyphonic Choir and the Organist of Neath Male Choir and has also accompanied Pontarddulais Male Choir at the Organ. In 2006 he was the accompanist and then in 2008 became the Musical Director for Bois Afan Male Choir.

He is Now Musical Director and Accompanist for The Bel Canto Singers and also is Musical Director for Cor Serenata and Presto. As an accompanist Matthew has travelled to Spain, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Winslow, Cornwall and also accompanies many soloists, choirs and instrumentalist both in Europe and the U.K.

Church music is a very important part of Matthew's life and has performed at Chichester, St David's Pembrokeshire and Llandaff Cathedrals and is the Organist for the Diocese of Llandaff Pilgrimage to the Shrine of our Lady of Walsingham Norfolk.

He has been the Organist of St Paul's Church Aberavon since 1995 then became the Sub-Organist of St Mary's Church, and In 2009 he became the Director of Music at St Mary's. In May 2024 Matthew was appointed organist at St Theodore's Church.

Matthew is continuing his musical career as a Freelance Musician.

Angharad Evans Young - Assistant Musical Director & Accompanist

Angharad started piano lessons at the age of four and the harp at the age of eight years old. She continued studying the piano up to and including her time at Cardiff University despite her main intrument of study at university being the harp.

During her award-winning career as a harpist, Angharad has performed with artist such as Bryn Terfel, Elin Manahan Thomas and Katherine Jenkins as well as performing for and meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

Angharad has travelled extensively, with her harps, performing throughout Great Britain, Wales and other European countries such as Spain and Finland. Her recorded music has been broadcast worlwide.

Angharads love of accompanying began in Ysgol Ystalyfera 6th form, where she accompanied her friend for her A level flute and cello recital. She also accompanied two school choirs, both of which won prizes at the Urdd Eisteddfod.

Angharad continued to accompany various instramentlists and singers at university and was repititeur for productions of Trail By Jury, Bugsy Malone and DIDO & Anuas. She now conducts and accompanies her school choir at Ysgol Gymraeg Rhosafan and joined the Cymmric and Co Serenata choirs in 2017.

Lyn Evans - Pianist

Lyn originated from Gwent and started to play the piano at the age of 5. She decided to turn her interest in music into a career, started teaching music in 1977 and after 35 years in the profession took (very!) early retirement.

Lyn joined Neath Male Choir in December 2001 as Assistant Accompanist and became Accompanist in 2002. In 2007 Lyn extended her role as Accompanist to become Assistant Musical Director and was proud and honoured to be appointed as Musical Director in 2009.

Between 2004 and 2009 Lyn was also the Musical Director of Port Talbot Youth Amateur Operatic Society, directing a number of very successful productions and thoroughly enjoyed working with the young people.

Lyn stepped aside as Musical Director of Neath Male Choir in 2021 after an enjoyable 20 years to spend more time with her family. Lyn soon missed the musical involvement with the choir and returned as accompanist in 2022. She was also accompanist to Afante ladies choir in Port Talbot from March 2022 to March 2025.

Lyn has been supporting Cymric Male Choir as an Assistant Accompanist since January this year and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The support and encouragement she receives from within the choir is outstanding.