Chris Symons in rehearsal -
April, 2006
Christopher Symons – soloist in Schumann’s Piano Concerto: June 24th, 2006
After early musical training in his native Penzance, and later in Canterbury Cathedral, under Allan Wicks, Philip Moore and Alan Ridout, Chris came to Shropshire in 1971, as head of Classics at Oswestry School - a position he held until 'retirement' in 2004.
He has been deeply involved in the music scene of Shropshire, in a variety of guises - choral conductor, organist, chamber pianist and accompanist. His most recent collaborations include work with broadcaster Richard Baker, pianist Peter Bradley-Fulgoni, soprano Carolyn Chadwick, baritone Stephen Varcoe, the Saltaire Festival Orchestra, his violinist daughter Tamsin, the Skampa String Quartet and pianist John Lill.
In September he will join the Allegri Quartet for a performance of Brahms' Piano Quintet, and future plans include a two-piano concert with Martin Roscoe.
During his years as Director of the Oswestry School Recital Series he has brought to the music-lovers of this area a wide variety of internationally-known musicians: in the past six months alone the pianists Marc-Andre Hamelin and John Lill, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
After all this, sanity of a sort is restored by a highly supportive wife, Fenella, his new role as grandfather, and regular excursions to his favourite watering hole in Selattyn, on whose piano he murders the Blues.
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