Musical Director

Steve Morris

Meet our Musical Director - Steve Morris​​​​​​
Given that he was born and bred in the Welsh valleys, you’d be forgiven for assuming that singing is
in Steve’s blood. But, as he’s the first to confess, the musical genes stayed hidden for much of his
life. It wasn’t until 2009 that an advert in his local Post Office window persuaded him to go along to
an evening with Wight Harmony, a barbershop chorus based in the Isle of Wight. As Steve says, he
went along simply to have a look…..and he’s been a barbershop addict ever since.

Clearly a “natural”, Steve was singing and competing in quartet within 18 months of joining Wight
Harmony, and by 2015 he’d become the chorus’s Deputy Director. In 2017 he received the
prestigious “UK National Barbershopper of the Year” award, and just a year later he was invited to
take over the reins as Musical Director at Solent City.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Steve has galvanised Solent since his arrival, refreshing the
repertoire, introducing new methods of learning and driving a high standard of achievement. The
result has been a much-improved quality of singing, achieved alongside a terrific team spirit and
sense of camaraderie and fun which can be seen throughout the club’s rehearsals, performances
and social events.

Away from Solent City, Steve still sings in quartet and in chorus with Wight Harmony, while he also
serves on the coaching faculty at Harmony College, organised by BABS (the British Association of
Barbershop Singers). When he’s not singing he plays bowls for the Isle of Wight and remains an avid
fan of Welsh rugby: as a young man he played the game at a high level until a serious injury ended
his career, after which he became a top-level referee. With that background – and many years as a
teacher – there’s no wonder we all behave ourselves on the risers!