History
The Choir was formed in 1957 with the purpose of competing at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen the following year.
The Choir was initially under the baton of local musician, J Raymond Williams, M.Mus. FRCO, who set about moulding the newly formed choir. It was he who set the bench mark and was responsible for setting the high standards that the choir has striven to maintain ever since. During those early years the Choir's accompanist was another local young man, J Brian Hughes, who is now acclaimed as one of Wales’ most accomplished and often performed composers.
John Glyn Williams, known affectionately as ‘John Glyn’, took over as conductor in 1966. By now Brian Hughes had gone to Cardiff University and had been replaced for a time by Haydn Bowen, and then by Anne Phillips, who in 2007 celebrated 40 years of service, recently handing over to Rachel Phillips, the current Deupty Musical Director & Accompanist.
Since its creation the Choir has performed throughout the UK and travelled extensively in Europe, the USA & Canada and has also visited China, Hong Kong & Israel. We have taken part in many competitions and won a significant number of prizes. The Choir is a registered Charity and have helped raise many thousands of pounds for many deserving causes. For 26 years the choir performed an annual concert at the Victoria Hall, Stoke on Trent sharing the stage with the World Famous Fodens Band and other male voice choirs local to the Wrexham area. Guest soloists have included international singing star Denise Leigh and the renowned concert pianist Llyr Williams. In 2006 the choir joined with Trelawnyd Male Choir and Traeth Male Choir to sing as a massed choir in 6 venues around the country; the Liverpool Empire, Palace Theatre Manchester, Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Floral Pavilion Southport, Tameside Hippodrome Ashton-under-Lyne and the Grand Opera House York.
Over the last 10 years we have fulfilled engagements across the UK in our role as a performance choir of consistent quality with a repertoire that pleases audiences of all ages. Most of our concerts aid charities and we are constantly in demand by a number of national and local charities. In recent years we have also been delighted to be asked to perform at a wide variety of private functions from weddings to formal dinners, Welsh themed evenings to cafe style fundraisers and always welcome a new challenge.
In 2008 to celebrate the choir’s Golden Jubilee year the Choir embarked on a tour of Germany to the Märkischer Kries region where we sang with the MGV Volmquelle Scherl in Meinerzhagen and with the MGV Lyra Warendorf in Warendorf. That was following by more visits to both UK and Germany culminating in a grand tour this autumn (2016) by our German friends to celebrate 40 years of friendship between the choirs and the twinned areas of Wrexham and Märkischer Kries.
2017 was our 60th year as a choir and we are delighted to continue performing concerts and engagements to promote Wales, and Welsh Male Voice choral singing to audiences new and old.