STEPHEN, THOMAS (1856 - 1906,) musician

Born 24 February 1856 at Brynaman, Glamorganshire. His parents moved to Aberdare when he was a child and it was there, in Ysgol y Comin, that he went to school. He joined the Aberdare Choral Society then under the conductorship of G. Rhys Jones (Caradog), and when the latter gave up the conductorship and was succeeded by Rhys Evans, Stephen became assistant conductor. In 1877 he became precentor at Bethesda chapel, Ton, Rhondda, Glamorgan. The next year he became conductor of the Rhondda Glee Society formed that year. He also conducted the Aberdare Glee Society, the Aberdare String Band, the Mid-Rhondda Choral Union, and the Cardiff Exhibition Choir. He assisted Dr. Joseph Parry with a performance of the latter's opera called Sylvia. A men's choir which he conducted took the prize in the Chicago World's Fair eisteddfod, 1893, and at national and other eisteddfodau. He died 24 January 1906 at Llantwit Vardre, Glamorganshire, and was buried in the Aberdare cemetery.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• F. Griffith, Notable Welsh Musicians (1896)
• Y Cerddor, March 1897, February and March 1906

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20738170

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/