A rising star in the world of classical music who overcame childhood deafness has been invited to take centre stage at a major international festival.

Talented conductor Robert Guy, who comes from Wrexham, will be taking the baton at the prestigious ChopinPianoFest in Pristina in Kosovo on May 29.

He was recommended to the festival by one of the world’s top concert pianists, Peter Donohoe CBE.

Donohoe chose Robert to conduct while he plays the notoriously challenging Rachmaninoff Concerto No.3 with the Kosovo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Robert, Director of Ensembles and Head of Choral Programme at University of Manchester, said he is hugely honoured to have been invited to conduct and to have had the endorsement of one of his long time musical heroes, Peter Donohoe.

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Remarkably, he overcame childhood deafness to forge a successful career in music as a conductor, educator and entrepreneur.

Now in his 30s he is the co-founder with his composer brother Jonathan of NEW Sinfonia, the resident orchestra at the North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph which will be making its debut at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July.

At Llangollen he will be conducting the orchestra and a massed choir of 200 voices in a concert calling for world peace.

Robert is “enormously excited” about the chance to work with Peter and the Kosovo Philharmonic.

He said: “I’ve not been to Kosovo before and I don’t speak the language. I believe they speak Albanian, but music is a common language so I’m sure we’ll all make ourselves understood.

“The big task will be familiarising myself with the Rachmaninoff work and the Kosovo musicians’ style of playing. Each orchestra is slightly different than another even when playing the same music so there are sure to be some challenges ahead but I’m greatly looking forward to rising to the task.”

Peter Donohoe said: “The festival organisers specifically asked me to play Rachmaninoff Concerto No.3 which I have played many times, but there is no denying that it is widely recognised as being one of the most challenging pieces for any pianist.”

Peter was invited to select one of three conductors suggested to him by the festival panel but he was unfamiliar with their work and instead asked if he could bring in Robert Guy.

Although they have not performed together before Peter knows of Robert’s work and has been impressed by his conducting style.

He said: “He is a great communicator which is one of the most essential skills for a conductor to possess.”

“As well as being skilled musically, he is very personable and develops an easy rapport with an orchestra. If he carries on in this vein I really believe he has what it takes to go far in the international classical music world.”