WREXHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Matthew Ellis –
French Horn
Matthew
Ellis started playing various instruments from the age of six, when he began
lessons on the Piano with Colin Parfitt. His brass playing however began in
1980 under the tutelage of John Duckett aged 8 while at
He volunteered to play the Trombone in 1984 while at St David’s School in
Wrexham. However, the music teacher Colin Fisher told him he could only play
French Horn. And so it was that Matthew followed in his brother David's
footsteps into the horn section of the school band. While in the school band he
played in the National Festival of Youth four times, winning once and playing
at the Schools Prom at the Albert Hall in 1988.
In 1986 Matthew joined the Clwyd Youth Orchestra and embarked on a Youth
Orchestra Career that saw him play in the North Wales Youth, National Youth
Orchestra of Wales,
Matthew joined the then Wrexham Orchestra in 1988, much to his mother's
annoyance who felt he should be concentrating on his GCSE's. He was appointed
principal in 1989, a post he held until he left the Orchestra in April 2001 to
join the Point of Ayr Brass Band, and was a committee member from 1992 until
1998, acting as librarian from '96. A few of his many highlights with the WSO
include Tchaik 5 (twice - the nerves are still there!), Rachmaninov’s Second
Symphony, and playing at the conducting debut of his friend Mark Lansom in
1999.
In 1996, together with his horn colleague Jacqui Blore, he formed the Cambrian
Philharmonic Orchestra, originally under the baton of Brian Paul Whittaker and
now conducted by the brilliant Garry Walker. Other Orchestras that have put up
with the racket from Matthew include the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra, the St
Margaret’s Orchestra, the Clwyd Chamber Orchestra and the Oswestry Symphonia.
As well as the French Horn, Matthew also plays Cornet with Wrexham Brass and
sings tenor in St Giles Parish Church Choir. He has previously been in the St
Margaret’s Singers and the Dee and Alyn Gilbert and Sullivan Society, where he
could annually bee seen dressing up on stage at Theatre Clwyd. It has been said
that his dancing in these productions was a sight to behold! Orchestrally,
Matthew currently plays horn for the Cambrian Philharmonic, Chester
Philharmonic and the Oswestry Symphonia and in November 2003 returned to the
ranks of the WSO on Fourth Horn, thus renewing his links with the Orchestra
that began way back in 1988. He is quite
frightened by the knowledge that there are youngsters playing the in the
orchestra now who were not even born when he joined!
On top
of this, he also finds time to play in the supporter’s band at the Racecourse
Ground for Wrexham AFC, regularly playing to an audience of several thousands.
Other
highlights of Matthew’s musical career include playing at the Albert Hall,
winning the National Brass Band Championship in 1997 at the Symphony Hall,
Birmingham, winning the Pontins Contest in 2003 (all with Wrexham Brass),
playing in the World Brass Band Championships in Holland in 2001 (with Point of
Ayr) and the inaugural concert of the Cambrian Phil.
January 2004