Cwmbran tenor Lee Cander, who appeared on Channel 4’s Your Song in May performing Nessun Dorma, is inviting local venues and musicians to come forward as he prepares a unique three‑date concert tour in and around Cwmbran.
The project is part of a funding bid aimed at bringing high‑quality live arts directly to new audiences and buildings in the area.
Lee hopes to secure Ebenezer Church in Upper Cwmbran for the opening night and is now searching for a second and third venue.
He said audiences will experience: “… a 90-minute interactive live show called The Voice: From Heavens to Headphones. It’s a spectacular musical journey split into two halves. Act I is entirely acoustic and unamplified, where we use live instruments to explore the raw power of the human voice – from ancient echoing monasteries right up to grand opera.
“Then, for Act II, we bring in the microphones to show how amplification changed everything, leading up to modern stadium rock. It’s a journey from the seven seas to the High C, from Verdi to Freddie Mercury, blending historical storytelling with some (hopefully) massive vocal performances.”
Vocal history
Lee explained that the idea grew from wanting to make vocal history accessible to everyone: “I really want to bridge the gap between classical vocal technique and modern amplified music, and break down some of the stuffiness that usually surrounds classical singing. I didn’t take a traditional route into this industry. I actually only started taking singing lessons at age 26, 27 while I was serving in the Royal Navy up in Scotland.
“Discovering my voice later in life made me realize there’s this great big vocal tradition from the earliest humans right up to the big rock vocals we love today. I wanted to build a show that makes that history accessible, engaging, and right here on our doorstep in Cwmbran.”
For this pilot run, he is keeping the performer list small: “For the performers, I’ve actually decided to keep the circle very tight for this initial run (So I don’t overpromise and under-deliver). I’ll likely only be bringing on one or two guest singers. I’m hoping to bring Travis George on board and have a meeting with him soon.
“As an artist, it’s incredibly important to me that the musicians who perform are paid properly for their craft. Budgets are tight, so I’d rather have a smaller, powerhouse lineup and ensure they are compensated fairly than stretch the budget across a massive cast- at least for this initial pilot tour.”
Historic buildings
Lee is specifically looking for historic or heritage buildings that could benefit from increased community engagement or financial support. Venues need space for around 250-300 people, good acoustics, and easy accessibility. Hosting the concert is risk‑free for the venue, with all costs covered by the project. Venues keep 50% of ticket sales plus any income from refreshments or raffles.
He said: “For venues, my first priority is finding historic, acoustic spaces like Ebenezer Church that can really showcase the unamplified singing in Act I. Moving into the second and third shows, physical accessibility is a major priority. I want to partner with venues where every single member of the community can easily attend without barriers. It’s important to me that any money raised goes to places that most need it. But, I also need to factor in accessibility in order to secure the funding.”
Dates will be confirmed once the Arts Council of Wales and National Lottery funding application is approved.
Contact Lee Cander
Musicians, singers or venues interested in taking part can contact Lee directly via Instagram at @leecander.tenor or email him at [email protected]
Thanks to Stephen Cain Photography for the photos of Lee performing at a concert earlier this year in Llangollen.