President Jeff Lloyd

Jeff Lloyd, a former Leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the Glamorgan Youth Orchestra, studied the violin at University College Cardiff with Stanley Popperwell and chamber music with Alfredo Wang. Following over twenty years as an instrumental teacher in the Rhondda, during which time he founded the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra, in 1982 Jeff was appointed the first Head of Strings/Orchestral Studies to the former South Glamorgan Education Authority.

During his period as conductor of the prize-wining South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra, Jeff was invited to conduct in all of the UK’s major concert halls and toured extensively with the orchestra in Europe and the USA. He also established the South Glamorgan Youth Chamber Orchestra which won the Outstanding Performance Award at the 1985 Festival of Music for Youth at London’s Festival Hall.

As a freelance violinist Jeff has played professionally with the orchestras of the BBC, WNO, HTV and the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, of which he was a founder member, performing regularly with internationally distinguished artistes of contrasting styles, from Sir Geraint Evans, Stuart Burrows and Kiri te Kanawa to Jack Jones, Neil Sedaka and Gene Pitney being equally at home in either genre. Jeff has also been much in demand as an orchestra leader and ‘fixer’ for choral societies throughout Wales. Having returned to the violin in his ‘semi-retirement’ he was invited to lead the Welsh Philharmonic Orchestra; but he still allows himself plenty of time to thoroughly ‘spoil’ his two young grandchildren with whom he is unashamedly besotted!

Now enjoying ‘total’ retirement following a stroke suffered in 2003, Jeff still manages to do some conducting for his ‘baby’ RSO, of which he is now its proud president.

Early recollections by Jeff Lloyd

For the RSO's Tenth Anniversary Concert in 1978, our soloist in Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 2 was the internationally acclaimed doyen of clarinettists, Jack Brymer. During the afternoon we all enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed rehearsal with this most charming gentleman. However, on the night of the concert, having just conducted the Academic Festival Overture of Brahms I was panic stricken when told by concert manager Ritchie Blight that the great man was nowhere to be found. Surely, I thought, this highly respected and revered former principal clarinet to Sir Thomas Beacham and so many other distinguished conductors would not be so late for little old me? With that, a door suddenly burst open to reveal a somewhat windswept Jack accompanied by his wife Joan: with a flourish he discarded his heavy great-coat, picked up his instrument and turned to me with the words, "Come on my dear fellow, let's enjoy ourselves!" And we did. It was some time later that I discovered from some London musician acquaintances that his nickname in the profession was indeed Jack the Downbeat! Never late, but equally never too early.

In the post concert reception I introduced Jack to one of our oldest members, Vernon Lloyd, who also happened to be a clarinettist. Over a couple of pints of Welsh ale, it transpired that our Vernon had preceded  Jack, albeit many years earlier, as Solo Clarinettist at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall. The fact that they had both studied on the 'old system' clarinet formed yet another topic of interest. When our paths crossed professionally a decade later, Jack still affectionately recalled his visit to the Rhondda and his long chat with Vernon.