Adam Rhys Davies is a fully qualified drummer and percussionist with a wealth of playing experience ranging from orchestral to heavy-rock. He has worked with a number of organizations, both amateur and professional, including S4C, Welsh Baroque Orchestra, Buy As You View Band, Ten Men Wide and numerous operatic/theatrical societies.
Former mentors include Dave Powell (Head of Percussion, Gwent Music Support Service), Chris Stock (principal percussionist BBC NOW), Steve Barnard (principal timpanist BBC NOW) and Phil Girling (WNO). Adam Rhys Davies is a graduate (BMus Hons.) of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he studied orchestral percussion and drum kit for four years. Despite a life heavily centered on performing, Adam Davies is also a keen composer: 2001 saw the premier performance of ‘Noah’, an original ‘rock’ cantata written, arranged and orchestrated by Adam Davies, involving a choir of over 250 local primary school children.
Adam Rhys Davies has performed at many internationally renowned concert venues including:
St. David’s Hall, Cardiff, Wales
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Wales
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England
Royal Albert Hall, London, England
The Grieg Hall, Bergen, Norway
Professional operatic experience includes productions of ‘Paradise Moscow’ – Shostakovich, and the world premier of ‘Rochester’s Second Bottle’ – Hans Cox. Professional theatrical productions include ‘Oklahoma’, ‘Fame’, ‘Hello Dolly’, ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Les Miserable’, and the Welsh premier of ‘The Secret Garden’ amongst many, many others. Numerous professional recordings include session work for S4C, BBC Radio 3 and Doyen Records. In 2005, Adam Rhys Davies performed in the world premier of the first ever symphony written for brass band: ‘Gaia Symphony’ – Dr. John Pickard.
Whilst studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Adam was appointed senior percussionist for two consecutive years. During this time, he held the position of principal percussionist in many of the primary ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Brass Band and Wind Orchestra.
Adam has represented Gwent at county level and Wales at international level.
