The Vale Consort, a vibrant new professional ensemble based in Wales, has been founded in 2025 to bring fresh energy and artistry to our musical landscape through the rich sounds of Medieval and Renaissance music.
Our mission is to champion and celebrate early music in Wales — and this exciting new group of young, passionate musicians perfectly embodies that spirit.
INSTRUMENTS
Scott Baker - lute
Scott Baker studied music at RWCMD, graduating with an MMus in 2003. Since then, alongside a career in education, he has performed regularly with ensembles, bands, duos, as a soloist and in theatre. Recent years have been busy; playing for a production of 'Shakespeare in Love', putting a Lieder program together, performing twice at the 'Early Voices Festival', and gigging with folk band Allan yn y fan. Looking forward to this exiting new venture with The Vale Consort"
Ranen Chan - viola da gamba
Ranen is a violinist and viola da gamba player from Malaysia. He is currently a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he studies the viol with Dr. Lucy Robinson. A keen consort player, Ranen enjoys exploring early music repertoire on both the violin and the viol. He recently played at the Brecon Baroque Festival with the Courante Consort, and has performed with the Welsh Camerata, the Cwmbrian Baroque Singers, and the Llandaff Choral Society.
Anna Cristoni-Apel - portative organ
Anna Cristoni-Apel was born and grew up in Bologna, Italy. She studied singing and choral conducting in Milan, specialising in medieval repertoire. In 1993 she founded Ensemble Weltgesang, a vocal ensemble dedicated to medieval sacred music, which she directed in concerts across Italy and Europe, as well as in recordings and broadcasts.
She later moved to northern Europe, teaching music in Germany and England before settling in South Wales. In 2015 she founded The Fountain Singers, an amateur vocal group devoted to early music.
Today Anna focuses on the promotion and performance of early music in Wales, working with several ensembles including the Vale Consort. She is the Artistic Director of Early Voices Wales.
VOICES
Kizzy Lumley-Edwards - soprano
Kizzy Lumley-Edwards is a freelance soprano based in Cardiff. They are an alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating with first class honours in 2025. They recently finished their time as a Voces8 Scholar, now singing with the Voces8 Foundation Choir and their Scholars Ensemble. They have also worked alongside the BBC Singers, the Swingle Singers, and are an alumni of Genesis Sixteen.
Hope Pugh - alto
Hope Pugh is a British mezzo-soprano, soloist, choral singer, educator and conductor based in Swansea. She trained in Vocal and Operatic Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, graduating with a BMus (Hons) in 2022. Hope has performed with professional ensembles including Genesis Sixteen, Ex Cathedra, Armonico Consort and BBCNCW, alongside a varied solo career spanning choral, consort, sacred and operatic repertoire. She is currently Director of Musical Engagement at Swansea Minster, leading an extensive programme of schools, community and performance projects.
Lucas Maunder - bass
Lucas is a Cardiff-based baritone from Winchester, currently studying for a Masters in Music at RWCMD. Recent highlights include Vaughan Williams’ 5 Mystical Songs (Weston Chorale) and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle (Chepstow Choral Society). Along his work as a soloist Lucas is a keen choral singer, singing with the Gloucester Cathedral Choir and as a Choral Scholar at St Martins in Roath in Cardiff. Outside of liturgical singing Lucas also performs with the Hampshire based choir Esprimo.
Jonathan Reynolds - bass
Jonathan is an Irish baritone who has recently completed a Masters in Music at RWCMD. He made his professional operatic debut at Buxton International Festival in 2021 and has been winner of several notable prizes including the Feis Ceoil Baritone Solo and Lieder Prizes, and the John Ireland Song Competition. Jonathan frequently works as a choral singer and is a member of the acclaimed vocal ensemble, ANÚNA. He enjoys a portfolio music career, working also as an accompanist, musical director, and teacher.
Carwyn Whomsley - tenor
Carwyn began his musical life as a chorister at Brecon Cathedral and now studies composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Alongside his studies, he sings with various choirs in the Cardiff area, and is a founding member of the octet Bute Voices. He has been writing choral music since he was 16 with performances in Munich, Southwark Cathedral, and at the Brecon Choir Festival.