TOMMIS Colin

Colin Tommis was born in Birmingham, Uk in 1958. He joined the world renowned Ian Campbell Folk Group aged 19 and was described by Melody Maker as a ‘wonderful young virtuoso’. He went to University to study composition with the Welsh symphonist William Mathias and has made North Wales his home ever since. 

His early arrangements attracted the attention of Bardic Edition who published them and he went onto to develop an exclusively Welsh repertoire of classical guitar music. 

He became chairman of the EUROPEAN GUITAR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION in 2001, a position he held for ten years.  He helped establish the National Youth Guitar Ensemble and became very interested in guitar ensemble writing. His own ensemble, the Anglesey Guitar Ensemble, twice won the prestigious National Guitar Orchestra competition and went on to appear on the flagship BBC programme Blue Peter. One of his compositions won the composition prize at the Dillington Guitar Festival. 

Colin’s guitar works are published here but also by ABRSM, Chanterelle, Corda Music and Bardic Edition. He also writes for all other media and his orchestral music has been regularly performed by the Welsh Sinfonia and the Welsh Chamber Orchestra. Some of his flute music is published by Hofmeister.

Colin was head of guitar for the North Wales music service but now focuses on writing, examining and adjudication. He is an international adjudicator and has conducted workshops and classes in Singapore and Vietnam.