About us
AMANDA ROMHANY- MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Amanda Romhany F.T.C.L., G.T.C.L. joined the choir in January 2012. She studied at Trinity College of Music, in London under Ilana Davids and has since divided her time between performing, teaching classroom music and being a mother of two.
Since 1992, she has been a member of The Orchard Trio, a flute, oboe and piano trio, who have been short-listed for The Daily Express Tomorrow’s People Awards .
Amanda has performed at a variety of festivals around London and the rest of the UK and has provided background music for celebrity banquets, embassy balls and charity galas.
Amanda takes over from Richard Harker this April she says "I have so enjoyed my time as accompanist, working with Tim Rhys-Morgan and Richard Harker. Part of me will miss playing the piano , but I am ready for the next step and hope to successfully continue the legacy started by dear Howard all those years ago".
Amanda Romhany F.T.C.L., G.T.C.L. joined the choir in January 2012. She studied at Trinity College of Music, in London under Ilana Davids and has since divided her time between performing, teaching classroom music and being a mother of two.
Since 1992, she has been a member of The Orchard Trio, a flute, oboe and piano trio, who have been short-listed for The Daily Express Tomorrow’s People Awards .
Amanda has performed at a variety of festivals around London and the rest of the UK and has provided background music for celebrity banquets, embassy balls and charity galas.
Amanda takes over from Richard Harker this April she says "I have so enjoyed my time as accompanist, working with Tim Rhys-Morgan and Richard Harker. Part of me will miss playing the piano , but I am ready for the next step and hope to successfully continue the legacy started by dear Howard all those years ago".
TIM SMITH-ACCOMPANIST
Tim has a wide- ranging career as a pianist including choirs, opera, recital and musical theatre.
He was for many years the accompanist for the Eisteddfod winning Ivor Evans choir in Ilford and now plays for their successors, the Valentine Singers. He played for the Hutton and Shenfield choral Society for 20 years and currently plays for the Havering Singers. With these choirs he has worked on most of the mainstream oratorio repertoire as well as lighter music.
He regularly accompanies Opera companies including Hatstand opera, Cameo Opera and The Food of Love, with whom he has performed all over the UK including St. Martin in the Fields, Goldsmiths Hall, Conway Hall and The Barbican in London.
He is a regular performer of Gilbert and Sullivan at Grimsdyke Opera as well as for G & S societies in various locations throughout the UK.
This is his third stint as accompanist for the Wallace Singers. Both previous times it was with Howard Wallace as music
director, the first time as a raw 18 year old, with huge encouragement from Howard for which he will always be grateful.
He is looking forward to coming back to his “spiritual home” and working with Amanda..
Tim has a wide- ranging career as a pianist including choirs, opera, recital and musical theatre.
He was for many years the accompanist for the Eisteddfod winning Ivor Evans choir in Ilford and now plays for their successors, the Valentine Singers. He played for the Hutton and Shenfield choral Society for 20 years and currently plays for the Havering Singers. With these choirs he has worked on most of the mainstream oratorio repertoire as well as lighter music.
He regularly accompanies Opera companies including Hatstand opera, Cameo Opera and The Food of Love, with whom he has performed all over the UK including St. Martin in the Fields, Goldsmiths Hall, Conway Hall and The Barbican in London.
He is a regular performer of Gilbert and Sullivan at Grimsdyke Opera as well as for G & S societies in various locations throughout the UK.
This is his third stint as accompanist for the Wallace Singers. Both previous times it was with Howard Wallace as music
director, the first time as a raw 18 year old, with huge encouragement from Howard for which he will always be grateful.
He is looking forward to coming back to his “spiritual home” and working with Amanda..
Howard Wallace - Our Founder
Howard was born in London but went age 4 to the Shaftesbury Homes and Schools in Surrey. He discovered his love of music, playing in the school band and singing in the choir. He returned home at 14 to help support his Mother and siblings living in Northampton and as soon as he was 18 he enlisted in the Essex Regiment as a Bandsman, enjoying time in Germany and Hong Kong and made lifelong friends.
Sadly, ill health led to his discharge and he struggled to make adjustment after 10 years of music. He found an outlet within the Salvation Army in Ilford and he became assistant bandmaster and sang in the choir. He also sang with local choirs and directed Opera Groups and other Musical Societies for many years. In 1980 he took the decision to form his own group, The Howard Wallace Chorale based in Brentwood..
The dream was to perform popular music at a high standard which has been the case for over 40 years. Howard wrote hundreds of special arrangements for his unique sound to every concert.
After 25 years and many wonderful and memorable experiences, Howard decided that at age 74 it was time to pass the Chorale into the safe hands of Tim Rhys-Morgan who had been the accompanist for a number of years, supported by a dedicated committee.
The choir continued very successfully for 10 years until Tim decided to retire and Howard again passed the baton to Richard Harker with Amanda Romhany as accompanist. Further years of innovation and musical experiences followed until March 2022 Richard also moved on and at a wonderful celebration in Chelmsford Cathedral the baton passed to Amanda and Tim Smith rejoined us asaccompanist.
Howard sadly passed away in October 2021 age 90, still playing a brass instrument in that year and loving music.
His wonderful legacy of song will live on with The Wallace SIngers.