Phil Amys (Stage Manager)
I joined the choir in 2023, having been strong‑armed into it by Roger Williams. I’d sung in church choirs when I was younger and later spent some time with a community choir, so it felt like a natural step back into singing.
My first performance with the Fron was at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in 2023. As both my debut and a competition, it remains my favourite performance and venue — nothing quite matches that atmosphere.
Musically, I’m a heavy metal and rock fan at heart, with a good mix of folk and classical thrown in for balance.
I’m the head of a data management company and in my spare time I enjoy martial arts and wargaming — a slightly unusual combination, but it keeps life interesting.
To any prospective members, I’d simply say this: Join — it’s amazing.
Graham Burgess
I joined the choir in October 2012 to continue the singing hobby I’ve enjoyed for many years in various bands. I also sang in my school choirs at Woodside School and Oswestry Boys’ High School, and as a youth choir member I performed at — and won in — the Llangollen Eisteddfod. As a boy soprano, I sang in many churches and chapels, which gave me a real love for vocal harmony.
My first performance with the Fron was at St Alkmund’s, Whitchurch, on 13 March 2013. My favourite venue and performance was at St Peter’s Cathedral in Austria — the acoustics were absolutely fantastic. I love any music that features strong vocal harmonies.
I am a retired Sales Manager, and in my spare time I enjoy football and classic cars, especially those built before 1950.
To any prospective members, I would say that being part of a choir brings many proven benefits to your health and wellbeing.
Interesting fact… I first sang with the choir as a boy soprano guest artist in Ardleen Church, around 1962.
Adrian 'Ade' Farmer
I joined the choir in 2024 as I wanted to get back into singing — and in particular, to join a decent choir… and I haven’t been ejected yet!
I’ve previously sung in school and local choirs, performed backing vocals in a band, and was a member of the Manchester Town Hall Choir. My first performance with the Fron was at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre. My favourite venue so far has been the beautiful theatre in Modena, although my favourite performance was at the William Aston Hall — the crowd and atmosphere were fantastic.
I love pop and modern country music. I am a Chartered Architectural Technologist, and outside the choir I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling to different countries, gardening, and playing in a band.
To prospective members I would simply say: “Enjoy it.”
Rhys Geoghegan-Shepherd (Voice Rep / Asst Stage Manager)
I joined the choir in 2023 due to a bit of “peer pressure”, having had no musical experience since my secondary school days. My first performance with the Fron was at the Wrexham Racecourse in 2023, and my favourite venue and performance so far has been St Paul’s Pro‑Cathedral in Malta — for obvious reasons.
I enjoy all styles of music. I work as a forest nursery technician and spend my spare time reading and walking.
To any prospective members I say: all you can do is try and see.
Interesting fact… I once snapped a live fish in half.
Neil Hayward (Transport Officer / Archivist)
I worked for 20 years at Trinity Mirror Newspapers as a typesetter and then media planner / outputter. The love of singing is the reason I joined the Fron in November 2005! I have been in choirs since I was 12. My son joined first (my wife’s grandfather was a founder member, so there was no other Male Voice Choir to join).
My first performance was at St. Asaph Cathedral early in 2006 – the piano went out of tune, so we had to sing a lot of items unaccompanied that I did not know, and we had NOT rehearsed!
There are so many wonderful places that we have performed at but my favourite venues are, in no particular order, The Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen, The Royal Albert Hall, The Tower of London and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
As for performances, again there are a lot but singing at the Festival of Remembrance in 2009 – standing in the auditorium as poppies fell from above, singing in front of 60,000 plus at The Millennium Stadium for the Wales vs Ireland six nations game and, of course, winning the Male Voice Competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2018 stand out. Winning the competitions in Derry and Cornwall is also up there as is, leaving aside competitions, singing to family and friends at a concert in the William Aston Hall, Wrexham.
Don’t hesitate in joining us, I regret not joining when I first moved to Wrexham in 1991, one of the reasons being was that I thought not being Welsh I would struggle with the language and another reason was I did not think I was good enough (this still may be the case, but I love it anyway).
An interesting fact . . . I was born in Ormskirk Hospital, Lancashire but when I moved to Wrexham I discovered that my paternal grandfather was from Ellesmere and my maternal great-grandfather (James Wynn) was from Rhosymedre.
Sam Hughes
My main occupation was Environmental Health Officer/ Surveyor but latterly until 2015 I was the Town Clerk for Chirk. I joined the Fron Choir in September 1954. My brother-in-law Travis Griffiths persuaded me to join, he was an original member. My first performance was at the Village Hall in Glyndyfrdwy. The generator failed during the concert with Mr Lloyd Edwards and his son Berwyn conducting and accompanying by candlelight.
There are too many favourite venues over the years but the Albert Hall, London, the Roy Thompson Hall, Toronto, the Sage Theatre, Gateshead, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, London Festival Hall are just a few that have special memories.
I have a lot of favourite performances to choose from but Llangollen Eisteddfod competitions from the beginning and winning performances must be up there plus the Christmas concerts at the New Vic and the Toronto Bi-Centenary concerts at the Roy Thompson Hall and all our tours here and abroad and the many, many more that have stirred the heart.
For a wonderful pastime come and join a famous male choir and enjoy the company of a very friendly group of men in making music and song along with exceptional social pleasure.
An interesting fact . . . I still have the original Choir black blazer - but it doesn’t fit too well now!!
Jake Jones
I joined the choir in 2025 as I wanted to put my voice to good use for singing — my father had joined a year earlier, which gave me the final nudge. I had no previous singing experience, but that didn’t stop me.
My first performance was at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle‑under‑Lyme in December 2025. It remains both my favourite venue and my favourite performance. I enjoy listening to Punk, Metal, and Jazz.
I’m currently in college, and in my spare time I’m into video games and Warhammer.
To any prospective members, I’d say this: it’s a lot more interesting than it sounds — genuinely!
Interesting fact… I think there are only about three of us in the choir without grey hair.
David O'Hare
John Phillips
I joined the Fron in 2023 because I’ve always loved choir singing. Before that, I was a chorister with the Rhos Orpheus Male Voice Choir from 2008 until they disbanded in 2024.
My first performance with the Fron was at a Christmas Concert for workers at the Kellogg’s Factory in Wrexham in 2023. My favourite venue — and favourite performance — was at the Saluting Battery in Valletta, Malta. It was a truly special experience singing Welsh and English songs overlooking the Grand Harbour to an audience of cruise‑ship tourists from all over the world.
I enjoy all kinds of music, but the Blues is my favourite.
From 1972 to 2017, I worked as a biomedical scientist, with scientific and technical responsibility for the preparation work in histopathology.
Outside the choir, I enjoy golf, watching football, 20th‑century war history, gardening, playing guitar, and spending time with my grandchildren as they grow up.
To any prospective members, I’d say: Join, try it — it’s really good medicine.
Interesting fact...We would all die if our oxygen ran out!
Gareth Reese
I am an aircraft fitter and sheet metal worker, making wings for Airbus, and I initially joined the Wrexham Charity MVC, formed in January 2016 to raise awareness and funds to combat prostate cancer. Once we had sung in the final concert in the following May, alongside the mighty Fron, it seemed natural to carry on and join the choir. My first official appearance as a full member of the choir was the Christmas concert at Tern Hill Hall Hotel in December of that year.
My favourite venue is the Dom Cathedral in Salzburg where we sang, inside and outside, during our trip to Austria in 2018 but I have two favourite performances – the first was singing in the Charity Choir alongside the Fron and the second was being part of the Fron when we won the Male Voice competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2018.
The Fron is much more than a choir – it is an extended family, so why not come and join us?
An interesting fact – a duck quack is the only sound that doesn’t echo
Alan Thomas
Mark Walmsley
Joel Whitaker (Welfare Officer)
David Williams (Vice Chairman)
I work as a Financial Controller and joined the Fron in May 2016. I enjoy choral singing and was part of the Wrexham Charity Choir formed to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research so became a member after singing in the charity concert with the Fron.
My first performance as part of the Fron was at St Mary’s Church, Bridgnorth later that year but my favourite venue is the Royal Albert Hall where I sang when I was a member of the Police Choir.
My favourite performance with the Fron has to be winning the Male Voice competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2018.
If you are interested in singing, join the Fron – It’s great fun and a wonderful way to relax!
Roger Williams
I joined the Fron in 2013 after my wife suggested I needed a new hobby. Singing wasn’t new to me — I’d been a church chorister from the age of seven, eventually becoming Head Chorister, and later joined my dad as a bottom bass until I was eighteen. Through school and college I sang in various folk groups, pop bands and other ensembles, and I’ve dipped in and out of bands ever since.
My first performance with the Fron was at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME). Since then, I’ve been fortunate to sing in some remarkable venues, but for sheer experience nothing compares to the Teatro Comunale Pavarotti–Freni in Modena. Performing there with Corale Rossini and a full orchestra, as guests of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation for what would have been his 90th birthday, was unforgettable.
My favourite performance, though, has to be when we won at the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival (CIMCF). Everything clicked — the focus, the blend, the energy. In my view it was an even better performance than our winning appearance at LIME the following summer.
My musical tastes are broad: classical, pop, prog rock, jazz fusion, folk — pretty much anything, really.
I retired in 2025 after a career as an International Sales Manager for Laney, the British guitar and bass amplifier manufacturer based in the Black Country. Laney products are sold in over 60 countries, and I covered around 40 of them, which gave me the chance to see some wonderful places and make friends all over the world.
Outside the choir my hobbies include songwriting, walking the dog, DIY (with varying degrees of success), good food and drink, and enjoying a laugh with friends.
To anyone thinking of joining the Fron, I’d say this: at first it can seem daunting to walk into a choir of this size, with so much shared history and experience — but it really isn’t. I quickly discovered that, despite the huge range of backgrounds within the group, the choir is a brotherhood that supports and encourages one another.
And remember, we’re all amateurs. We sing because we love it, not because we’re musically trained or technically brilliant. Don’t be put off if you can’t read music. If you feel you have a voice, why not join others who feel the same?
An interesting fact… According to Google’s overly friendly AI: “None of the Beatles could read or write music using traditional notation.” They relied on their ears, intuition and musical memory — yet look what they achieved. So don’t let music theory hold you back from coming along to sing with the Fron!