Meet the Team
GYSO is currently run by a team of volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to produce these courses and concerts.
Find out more about each of the team members below.
Matthew Lloyd-Wilson
Matthew conducted in his first public concert at the age of 13. Since then, he has taken every opportunity to learn, perform and work with talented musicians. Matthew has now been studying conducting with the postgraduate professor at the Royal College of Music, Peter Stark for 10 years.
Matthew had an exciting early career as a chorister at Westminster Abbey singing for TV and radio broadcasts of numerous state occasions, the Royal Wedding, and several recordings for Chandos. He sang for the Pope in St. Peter's, Rome, toured Moscow and made his BBC Proms début as a treble soloist in Mahler's Das klagende Lied with the BBC Symphony orchestra and chorus, eventually becoming the Senior Queens Chorister. A three-part T.V. documentary on the life of Westminster Abbey featured Matthew as a soloist, singing the lower treble part in Allegri's Miserere.
During Matthew’s secondary school years, he led several youth orchestras and sang as a volunteer tenor at Guildford Cathedral. Competition successes as a violinist include the 4 regional festival cups and 5 young musician of the year cups. At University, Matthew conducted the University String Orchestra, founded the English Virtuosi, and became the director of the Guildford Youth Symphony Orchestra. Since graduating has also built relationships with the Surrey County Youth Orchestra, Kingston Philharmonia, Winchester Symphony Orchestra, Instant Opera, Guildford Opera, Rose Opera, and Hampshire County Youth Orchestra. Recent appointments include the musical director of the Claud Powell Chamber Orchestra and the Surrey Music Academy. Matthew is also an active soloist, leader, recitalist, and chamber musician.
Joseph Lewis
Joe is currently studying at the Royal College of Music, working towards a degree in Music Performance as a percussionist under the tuition of Alex Neal, Ralph Salmins and Hugh Wilkinson. He has performed with some of his musical idols including Evelyn Glennie and Cameron Sinclair, and worked with conductors such as Jac Van Steen, Rafael Payare and Michael Rosewell. He enjoys performing as a freelancer with various ensembles through London, but values his teaching posts above all else.
During his secondary years, Joe gained experience performing with his school and county orchestras as well as being a member of GYSO. He further enjoyed playing with the symphony, chamber and wind orchestras at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, which paved the way for the transition to full time undergraduate. He enjoyed being a member of a variety of percussion ensembles, and competing on both the UK and European Drum Corps circuits. Joe was previously the Music Department Administrator at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford.
He now works as an Orchestral Assistant at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, and is looking forward to stepping into this next role as the Manager of GYSO.