Wynford Evans

Wynford Evans (30 April 1946 – 23 September 2009) was a Welsh tenor.

Wynford Evans was born in Swansea to William Thomas Evans and Lizzie Ann. He had an older brother, Hugh. He was educated at Dyfatty Primary school and then at Dynevor Grammar School for Boys from 1957 to 1963. During his first year in grammar school, Wynford was a regular performer on Radio Wales on a Sunday morning show called Silver Chords which continued for four years. At this time he learned to play the French horn and played with the Glamorgan Schools Orchestra.

In the summer of 1964, at the age of 18, Wynford entered and won the tenor solo for 18 to 25s in the Royal National Eisteddfod which was held that year in his home town of Swansea. Wynford attended The Guildhall School of Music and Drama at John Carpenter Street in London where he was taught singing by Joyce Newton, among others, and after graduating went on to win the Gold Medal for Singers in 1967. In the same year Wynford also won the prestigious Young Welsh Singers Competition held in Cardiff and two years later won the tenor prize for singers at the s’Hertogenbosh International Vocal Competition.

In 1969 he sang in front of Prince Charles during the Prince’s Investiture tour of Wales.

Wynford joined various singing groups including The Linden Singers, the Baccholian Singers, Intimate Opera Company, Phoenix Opera, The Kings Singers and Pro Cantione Antiqua. For ten years Wynford was part of Fortune’s Fire alongside lutenist Carl Shavitz with whom he made a number of early music recordings. Throughout his career, Wynford appeared with all the major orchestras and choruses in the UK as well as touring throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, North and South America, South Africa and the Far East. He made his debut in the U.S.A. in 1987 with the London Early Music Group at Carnegie Hall. Festival appearances included Aix-en-Provence ('Messiah' with John Eliot Gardiner), City of London, Bath, Bach 300, Cardiff, Swansea and Llandaff and many others.