Joy Dando
My love of music started when I was very young and I started dancing. My mother put me in ballet straight away and I took my first ballet exam at two. I kept up my dance training until I was fourteen. At school I learned to play the recorder and guitar and then the electric organ. I played the organ for anyone who would listen and usually my family would have a good sing song.When I was fourteen I auditioned for the role of Polly in The Boyfriend and got the part. This was the first time that I had sang on a proper stage with actual musicians. Well I was hooked.When I was sixteen I trained in the Gwent Youth Choir and began singing lessons with Beverly Humphries from the Welsh National Opera. She was an inspiration and just made my passion for music unquenchable. I decided that I loved music so much that I wanted to be a teacher. I went to the University of Wales and here I trained with Kelvin Thomas of the Welsh National Operaand also had to learn the piano. Whilst in University I performed in the musical Rape ofthe Fair Country based on a book by Alexander Cordell. I was very blessed to have met him.When I started my teaching, I sang for a local choir where I was asked to audition for the role of Maria in West Side Story. This I got which I loved and I then went on to perform the roles of Joanna in Sweeny Todd, Miss Farrell in Annie, Morfydd in Rape of the Fair Country, Cassie in Chorus Line, Annie in Annie Get Your Gun and the Duchess in Me and My Girl. Here I am now and I still love music. I still sing, play the drums (a little), the guitar and now the cornet. It’s been a very steep learning curve but I am having the time of my life.