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Sep.25,2009
I first met Wynford back in June of 2000. I was visiting a friend of mine who was studying voice with him. Wynford must have made a huge impression on me because almost a year and a half later, when I was fed up studying with voice coaches who didn’t know how to teach, I remembered Wynford. I began studying with him in January 2002 and was thrilled to finally have found the right teacher. His methods were easy for me to grasp, he reassured me when I was at my most apprehensive state and introduced me to the greatest composer in the world, Edward Elgar. I currently have hundreds of cassette tapes with our lessons recorded on them.
Wynford wasn’t just a voice teacher to me, he was my friend. When I was going through my own illness back in 2003 he always kept in touch and wanted to know about my health. He called me after every single one of my surgeries. I was standing at a precipice of giving up, and he saved me from what would have been a catastrophic mistake.
When I arrived back in England after my many surgeries and grueling hospital stays, I was relieved to see Wynford. I was at my lowest state, but he never gave up on me and never stopped encouraging me to keep on going.
I will never forget how he conducted me through the recording of my first CD, Five Songs in the summer of 2004. I wasn’t well at all physically and anyone could tell. Towards the end of the recording I was about to throw the towel in, but Wynford as his optimistic self told me, “You can do this, just look at me and I will get you through it.” And he did. But unfortunately over the next few years, even though I wanted to have the classical singing career we both worked so hard on me achieving, an endless amount of health problems occurred forcing me to put it aside and “get better”. By late 2007, I had become a recluse because I had become confined to a wheelchair, but still Wynford would arrange lessons and suggest musical opportunities, again as his cheerful self. I can’t help but think now how I let him down. I wish I could have pulled myself together and just got on with it, but I never did.
Wynford and I had many great long chats since then, but about 6 months ago I stopped hearing from him. I assumed he went on a prolonged holiday in Spain and was happily playing golf, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. After many attempts at trying to get in touch, I found out that he was suffering from Pancreatic Cancer and had a few surgeries as well. So again, I was reminded how cruel life could be. Knowing what a vicious disease Cancer is, it was the last thing anyone would want a wonderful person such as Wynford to go through. I still haven’t got my head around it, and am devastated he had to spend his last 6 months suffering. Just the other day I wrote him saying, “Just keep listening to great music, that will get you through this.” At times like these that is all anyone can do– comfort yourself with music.
During these past two months the world has mourned the losses of many greats: Eunice Shriver, Ted Kennedy Sr, Patrick Swayze and now Wynford Evans.
Tags : Friend, Tenor, Voice Teacher, Wynford Evans
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Hi there,
I stumbled across your blog entry just now and could not help but leave a reply. How similar our memories of Wynford sound! Unlike you, I never looked likely to have forged a career in classical singing (left it too late), and also unlike you, I did not get to meet and work with Wynford until after I had gone through and overcome very serious illness. All in all, I had barely 3 years’ worth of lessons and masterclasses with him, between 2006 and 2008 and that was only twice yearly. However, both his way of sharing his knowledge and experience with his students and his huge talent in making everyone feel special and inspiring us to overcome our weaknesses and improve were absolutely unique. I did know of his illness and kept in touch by letter (and on one occasion by telephone, singing to him and getting comments back, an incredibly moving experience when you put it in the context of being only a few weeks before his passing). I have been missing him everyday when I practice and always try to think of what he would have said/done, particularly on occasions of being low and pessimistic about the progress of my singing. It’s so easy to imagine him smiling in the back of the room when you sing! I hope you are keeping well and remember him fondly. Best wishes
Anna
Hi Anna,
Thanks for your reply. I have a rare type of brain mass and also hydrocephalus so I ended up retiring from singing the same year he did, professionally anyway. I do still sing now and again. Because I have so many memories of him I haven’t yet been able to even listen to certain types of music or sing certain things since his passing. His funeral/memorial service was very uplifting, and it is something I will never forget. So many beautiful voices singing as one for Wynford was an amazing thing to experience.
I hope you have been able to continue singing!
Hi Dia,
Thanks for your reply, it is very nice to have met you even in this indirect way. Sorry to hear of your health ordeal. I suspect retiring from singing would have been a very tough decision to make, but I’m glad you still manage to enjoy it even if it is now and then. I have been lucky to have only suffered from a curable form/stage of gynae cancer which has been kept at bay after major surgery 5 years ago. I’m still singing, currently preparing for a Diploma exam which is something Wyn strongly encouraged me to try. Of course he is missed all the time, but the overwhelming feeling now is gladness that I did get to meet him and work with him. Please keep in touch if you’d like.
Best wishes
Anna
Yeah I was only 26 years old when I retired. I had over 25 neurological surgeries most of which were in my brain, and sadly, never completely recovered from it. It’s more of a chronic neurological disorder, so it will never go away. But yes, I was gutted I had to give up my career because before I got sick, it was going in a great direction. I was able to finish and get my degree at university in musical performance and theology, so at least that’s something. I’ll have to post a picture sometime of my memorial tattoo on my arm that I got for Wynford. I’m still not really over his death at all, and find even writing comments about it very difficult. I wish you all the best in your future singing endeavors!
It was very interesting to read your blog, I was saddened at the end to read that Wynford Evans had died.
Although I did not have any professional contact with Wynford, my pleasurable meeting with him was in the mid 70’s when I was arranging some charity concerts in Ebbw Vale. I had booked Wynford as the soloist for this particular concert and my accompanist, May Parry, a reputable Eisteddfod winner and long serving accompanist to the Ebbw Vale Male Choir, prior to the concert told me that Wynford had a milk and honey voice. It proved that and more.
Before the concert I drove Wynford to Crickhowell where I lived and where my wife had prepared a light meal for Wynford.
It was a lovely afternoon and a joyous evening. A great pleasure to have met and listened to Wynford.
I suppose it’s a good time to reminisce only a few days after his birthday. RIP Wynford.
Many thanks \\\dia and best wishes John Hughes.
Hi John, so sorry for the late reply, but I only just found it! Thank you for your comment reminiscing Wynford. He did have a wonderful voice. I still listen to the recordings I have of him, and he was by far the best tenor I have ever heard. He was the type of person, when singing or not, made you feel 100 times better after spending time with him.