Ryan Bancroft, principal conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who doesn’t use a baton and dances when he performs, is one of the most sought-after conductors in the world. Our sister magazine Voice met up with him to talk about his journey, his influences, and a lot more.
WHEN most of us think of the words ‘Orchestra Conductor’, it’s quite likely that our imagination conjures up the image of a wild haired, solemn, and overly dramatic figure: centre stage and banging out the Beethoven with their baton. What’s a lot less probable, is the scenario of a young man who loves wearing the red soled shoes of Louboutin on stage, enjoys blasting out a bit of Cardi B in his dressing room before concerts and whose baking skills could put Paul Hollywood to shame…
But Ryan Bancroft, principal conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW), smashes the mould in a myriad of ways.
For one, if you see him in concert there’s no baton in sight, as Ryan prefers to conduct some of the biggest orchestras in the world using just his expressive hands.
His conducting style is elegant, fluid, and so engaging to watch, that audiences keep coming back to concert halls across the globe for more, more, more!
Picture: Kirsten McTernan
Energetic, endlessly polite (he always remembers the names of everyone he meets) and deeply charismatic, Ryan is one of those rare people in life whose exceptional musical talents are equally combined with a warm and genuine personality.
You would expect one of the most sought-after conductors in the world to be emotionally distant and aloof, but he is much more likely to greet you with a bear hug, a beaming smile, and the offer of some of his crisps.
Ryan Bancroft was born in Los Angeles, where he studied trumpet at the California Institute of the Arts, alongside additional studies in harp, flute, cello and Ghanaian music and dance. This dance background makes itself obvious when you see him conduct: his rhythmic movements and precise footwork on the podium make him stand out amongst his peers.
Lisa Tregale, director of BBC NOW, perfectly sums up Ryan’s style: “Working with Ryan is creative and collaborative. Ryan approaches music is such a natural way and his physicality when conducting communicates what he wants from the music and the musicians. He dances on the podium!”
Despite his dance background, fate had a different plan for Ryan, and he became a conductor through personal tragedy.
“I was thrown into it under unfortunate circumstances,” he reflects, sitting backstage before a BBC NOW concert in Cardiff. “My father passed away years ago and I decided to put on a performance of Mozart’s Requiem for him in his honour as it was his favourite piece of music.
"I had never conducted anything significant before and decided to put together an ensemble of friends to do this performance. It was a moving experience and still to this day I’ve yet to listen to the Requiem.
"At the same time, this moment gave me a new avenue of music making to explore and I felt I should pursue it further.”
And pursue it he did. He went on to study conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has since conducted the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Orchestre Nationale du Capitole de Toulouse, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, RAI Torino, and the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Europe, as well as the Toronto Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Minnesota Orchestras among others in North America, and in November he made his Japanese debut at Suntory Hall with the New Japan Philharmonic.
As well as joining BBC National Orchestra of Wales as Principal Conductor in September 2020, he has been the artist-in-association at Tapiola Sinfonietta since 2021, and also becomes chief conductor of Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra this year. Not bad going for only 33!
In addition to this impressive resume, Ryan is also a multiple award-winner, having won both First Prize and the Audience Prize in the prestigious Malko Competition for Young Conductors in Copenhagen, before scooping the Conductor award in 2021 at the world-renowned Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.
Yet despite his ever-growing global fame and awards shelf, Ryan’s fun personality and cheeky wit always shines through.
When asked what he tells people what he does for a job, he grins before saying, “I either say I’m an Organic Windmill or an Oscillating Organism. They’re usually confused… but I think it’s funny!”
His sense of humour comes in handy during long and often intense rehearsals and concerts with BBC NOW.
Conducting is a very physical, mental, and emotional job that can really test your nerve, but Ryan understands how lucky he is to be working in his field – and with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
So how did he land this role?
“I was super fortunate to be able to step in for a colleague on the North Wales tour that the orchestra does,” he explains. “This meant my first introduction to the orchestra was via Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Llandudno, and Bangor!”
“BBC NOW is super lucky to be able to primarily rehearse at Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff Bay which is part of the Wales Millennium Centre," he continued.
"It’s seriously a lovely place to work, to take a walk along the bay, and potentially catch any going on around The Senedd.
That being said, there are plenty of highlights for me in Wales: eating at either Brother Thai or Vegetarian Food Studio in Cardiff, a late night snack at Pizza House in Bangor, or even getting an incredible ice cream at Joe’s Ice Cream Parlour in Swansea. I’m also a big fan of the Brecon Beacons… such beauty should be illegal.”
Ryan Bancroft conducts the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
Apart from visiting Welsh beauty spots in his spare time, Ryan enjoys a wide range of hobbies and interests away from his day job.
“Baking is a major hobby of mine,” he admits, laughing. “The amount of Madeleine pans that I own is a bit embarrassing… multiply the number you think by three!
"I’m also a big fan of sumo wrestling and was recently quite emotional to have attended my first in-person match in Fukuoka in November 2022."
And what about music - what does he listen to when not working with orchestras? “I’m a HUGE fan of Joni Mitchell and BLɅϽKPIИK. I’ve been known to also listen to some Dolly Parton and Cardi B as well…my taste is a bit endless, and I am not ashamed of it!”
His diverse taste in music certainly serves him well when performing in front of thousands of people.
Ryan Bancroft conducts the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
From the world-famous BBC Proms at The Royal Albert Hall, to televised BBC and international concerts, to smaller and more intimate concerts in local venues; Ryan tackles them all with his positive ‘can do attitude’ which in part is thanks to his late beloved father who advised Ryan that: “It will work out because it has to.”
Wise words indeed. But despite performing on the biggest stages in the world, Ryan reserves special affection for the concerts that he performs here for the people of Wales.
“There is something particularly special about Welsh audiences, and I guess I can sum it up in three words: appreciation, knowledge, and humour,” he said. “I find Welsh audiences to be incredibly appreciative and loyal, and it is always nice seeing familiar faces.
"I think it is also no mystery that the Welsh are somehow genetically musical! This means that our audiences tend to be made up of people that are interested in being involved with the arts and often are a part of it themselves!
"It also goes without saying that there is a lovely down to earth character about our audiences, and often recanting a concert with friends involves a night of laughing!
Picture: Kirsten McTernan
"All of this together makes me feel a sense of honour and deep gratitude to be able to perform here.”
So, what would he say to encourage people that haven’t been to a BBC NOW concert to come along and have a listen?
“BBC NOW is truly the orchestra of Wales," he said. "This means we hold a great responsibility of making sure our programming and image reflects what is needed in today’s society.
"Abundantly, that means providing for the need of wanting great music. We have an incredible history of sticking to our tried-and-true repertoire as well as expanding the boundaries of what it means to be an orchestra in the 21st century. All in all, there is space for all!”
Before he leaves our interview to go and perform, I can’t help but ask him the one question that he is bound to get asked a lot: Why don’t you use a baton to conduct?
Ryan Bancroft conducts the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and joins forces with the Tredegar Band for the world premiere of Gavin Higgins’s new Concerto Grosso for Brass Band and Orchestra in the Royal
Ryan grabs his music and smiles before admitting, “I was conducting Beethoven’s 6th Symphony and at the first loud chord of the ‘storm’ movement I accidentally hit my baton so hard on the conductor’s stand that it rocketed out of my hand and flew about five meters upwards and landed in the rafters.
"I never saw that baton again...or any baton for that matter!”
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