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Academy Director (Quality)
Institute of Education and Humanities
Tel: 01267 655377
Email: d.bebbington@uwtsd.ac.uk
Role in the University
Working across programmes within the Wales Academy of Voice & Dramatic Arts.
Background
David Bebbington gained a BMus (Hons) degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where his principal study was piano and second study voice. He won the John Ireland Prize for Piano and Vocals whilst at the RWCMD, and represented the college on many occasions as an accompanist during his time there, most notably for masterclasses at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and as jazz pianist for the Wales Rally GB Awards. David was awarded a scholarship for the academic year 2001 – 2002 to take up post as Director of Music for Cardiff University Church Choir. He followed this by earning himself a position as Director of Music at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, in the Parish of Maindee, Newport, and then moved on to work with a number of Choirs and Choral Societies.
David has worked across the musical spectrum as a soloist, accompanist, vocal coach, conductor, musical director and teacher. He is an experienced choral director and conductor/musical director and has acted as MD and keyboard player for numerous shows and performances featuring artists such as Asa Elliott, Darren Day, Iris Williams, Tony Hatch, Shaun Williamson and multi-platinum artist Kenny Thomas. His regular performing work includes cabaret, function bands, musical theatre and classical work within recent concerts of Big Band, popular music, jazz, theatre productions, and major works. He also undertakes work as an arranger and producer of music in a variety of styles.
David is in demand as an MD and maintains a busy performance schedule alongside his role in WAVDA.
Member Of
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Member of the Musicians’ Union
Academic Interests
Prior to arriving at Wales Academy of Voice & Dramatic Arts, David has had an extensive career within Higher Education as a lecturer, programme director and manager working on a range of Music, Popular Music and Musical Theatre programmes.
Research Interests
David is a practicing musician, regularly performing a large range of repertoire across the UK and overseas. His current research interests are in the ‘role of the keyboard-based musical director in contemporary music contexts’.
David’s recent project is Figment of Funk; a Jazz/Fusion outfit featuring renowned session musicians and lecturers from a range of HE institutions. Kasabian’s Ian Matthews features as guest artist for some of their masterclasses and performances.
Expertise
- Music Performance
- Musical Direction
- Musical Theatre
- Popular Music
- Voice & Piano
- Musicology
- Production
Enterprise, Commercial and Consultancy Activities
David is regularly involved in consultancy within HEIs, with external organisations and industry, and also invited to lead masterclasses in music. In May 2023, David led a masterclass at the London College of Music (University of West London) on Musical Directing & Ensemble Musicianship, later being invited to join their Industry Panel working with alongside industry professionals, Laurence Cottle, Elliot Henshaw, and John Wheatcroft in June 2023. David has previously led masterclasses at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, Hereford College of Arts, Neath Port Talbot College and Cross Keys College.
David is currently External Examiner for the undergraduate Popular Music programme at the University of Wolverhampton. He has previously acted in this capacity for De Montfort University BA (Hons) Performance in Musical Theatre and for University of Sunderland BA (Hons) Music, BA (Hons) Performing Arts, FDA Music and FDA Applied Music Practice. He acted as an External Expert for Nottingham Trent / Confetti MA Popular Music Performance in 2023, as a Higher Education Subject Advisory Group member for the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) A Level Music in 2014, and as an External Expert Advisor for the Creative and Cultural Industries Subject Network Review at the University of the Highlands and Islands in 2011.
Publications
David is in demand as an MD and maintains a busy schedule of professional practice alongside his role in WAVDA.