Tongwynlais double appointment  

As preparations for the hotly contested Welsh Area gather apace, The Tongwynlais Temperance Band is delighted to announce that Swedish performer and conductor Andreas Kratz, will be directing the Band at the Welsh Regional contest held in Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on Sunday the 18th of March. 
 
As well as a respected Tenor and Bass Trombone player with the Gothenburg Opera House Andreas Kratz is the Conductor of Windcorp Brass Band in Sweden and will take up the role alongside newly appointed resident musical director Matthew Rowe. The engagement with Tongwynlais marks a welcome return to Wales for Andreas who has previously worked as a tutor for the National Youth Band of Wales in 2015. 
 
Band Chairman Iestyn Davies said, “The opportunity of working with Andreas was presented to us early in January after we had taken the decision in to work more closely with our newly appointed musical director and Solo Euphonium player Matthew Rowe, who will be taking the band to the Band Cymru contest in February.” 
 
Iestyn continued, “Andreas has been extremely generous in offering us a schedule that fits in with our current work with Matt, who has been busy preparing the band for its semi-final appearance on S4C’s Band Cymru competition. In recent months, we have been able to work with a number of conductors and most recently with Ian Holmes as Principal Conductor. The appointment of Andreas and Matt is a sign of our continued commitment to develop new talent both within the band and from further afield.” 
 
Andreas said, "I am looking forward to working and making great music with Tongwynlais. The banding scene in Wales is extremely competitive and hotly contested so it’s a real plunge into the deep-end of conducting in the UK." 
 
Matt Rowe added, “Since graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama last summer I have been keen to gain experience of working with a top-flight band, and to do this with Ton – my adopted band in Wales – is a real privilege.” 
 
 
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