Meet the 2nd Tenors

Geoff Allan

I joined the choir at the end of November 1996 because I enjoyed singing.

My first performance with the choir was in Newtown, but my favourite performance has been singing in the Millennium Stadium Cardiff in front of a crowd of 7,200.

I am a retired HGV driver and I would say to anybody interested in joining the choir that you have to be committed to the choir.

Over the years I have enjoyed singing with many good choristers.

Howard Austin

I joined the choir in 1989 when I was asked by a friend to go along and have a listen and when I heard the choir sing it was one of the best things I had ever heard.

My first performance was In Llanfair Cereinion and it was Val Jones’ first concert

I really enjoyed Manchester Bridgewater Hall as a venue but my favourite performance was when choir went to Holland and sang with Maastricht choir who were a lot bigger in numbers than us and we sang brilliantly that day.

I am a car vehicle refinisher (posh name for paint sprayer) by profession and I would say to anyone who is interested to come along and have a listen. It may be difficult at first but people help you out and if you have a feeling for music in your heart you will stay for a lifetime

An interesting fact . . . When choir stopped in Durham on the way back from a concert and one of the members of the choir went up the cathedral and started singing and you could hear him everywhere, this old dear walked past and said he must be on day release from a local institution!

Howard Bourne (Asst Concert Sec)

I joined the choir in January 2012, having always enjoyed singing, but never having the the time to look at it seriously until I retired.

My very first concert with the choir was in a little theatre in Ulverston that has a statue of Laurel and Hardy outside it.

My favourite venue to perform is the wonderfully spacious St. Ambrose Church in Speke where we generally have an annual concert in February with the Merseywave choir.

My favourite performance so far was our victory at the Cornwall International Male Voice Festival in 2017 where we took the county by storm.

I am a retired schoolmaster and have appeared on four television quiz shows and also appeared in the ring with Muhammed Ali.

Alan Crofts

I am an Area Manager and Development Chef for Shire Services Schools and was asked to join the Wrexham Charity Choir with my brothers-in-law. I enjoyed every minute so when I was asked to join the Fron I jumped at the chance. My first appearance as a full member of the choir was at Eaton House in Chester but, like a lot of p[eople, I think my favourite venue has to be the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

My favourite performances so far are the winning performances at the Cornwall International Male Voice Festival in 2017 and winning the Male Voice competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2018.

Joining the choir has given me an extra hobby which has developed into an obsession - in a good way - I can't get enough of the pleasure it gives to me and others when we perform and the camaraderie between the choristers is second to none - come and try it!

An interesting fact . . . I have sailed a 1000 miles down the Amazon down to Manous.

Jeremy Davies

I am an electrical engineer and joined the choir in 2008, purely because my son, Gareth, wanted to be in the Fron. Our first performance together was at Llay Royal British Legion.

The New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, is my favourite place for a concert but my favourite actual performance was at the Royal Albert Hall, London with Hayley Westenra.

Come and join the Fron – a fabulous singing family!

Rob Edwards (Asst Treasurer)

I am a retired Electrical Engineer with MANWEB / Scottish Power.

I joined the Fron in November 1995. I had been a long-time admirer of the choir and had previously sung in Llangollen Operatic Society and Llangollen Male Voice Choir but a change of circumstances meant that I finally had the time and opportunity to make the commitment to join the Fron.

My first performance was a joint concert for S4C with the Rhos Orpheus and Caernarfon at Birmingham Symphony Hall with Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans.

I think my favourite venue we have sung in is the Bridgwater Hall in Manchester but my favourite performance was our winning performance at the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival 2017.

I would say to anyone thinking of joining: If you enjoy singing in any style, come and give us a try – you’ll find yourself surrounded by 50-60 men from all sorts of backgrounds with a shared common love of singing and, before you know it, you’ll have 60 new great mates having a great laugh. And if you enjoy a beer or two, even better!

I don’t have any interesting facts, I’m a boring b*****d!

Gren Gough

I am a retired Chemical process Operator and joined the choir when it was founded in 1947 – at the age of 15 - to help the choir get to the required 60 members and compete in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. I sang in the first concert at the chapel where the choir was founded, in Froncysyllte.

My favourite venue to sing in is the Royal Albert Hall where we’ve sung on quite a few occasions, but my favourite performance was winning the male voice competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod for the first time in 1977 under the baton of John Daniel.

Come and join – it’s a good pastime and I’m still going strong at 88!

Adrian Goodchild (Voice rep)

I am a retired police officer and I worked mainly in the traffic department and the firearms unit.

It has been a lifelong ambition of mine to sing in a choir but work commitments prevented me until August 2017 when I joined the Fron.

My first performance with the choir was at Southport on the 9th February 2018 but my favourite venue is the Maes Llangollen, which coincidentally was my favourite performance as we won the Male Voice Choir competition.

Joining the choir has been the best things I have ever done and I truly regret not being able to do so sooner.

I am very keen on sport and played rugby for many years and follow Liverpool F.C.

John Arthur Jones (Uniforms Officer)

I was a Golf Club Steward for 25 years so when I retired Rob Edwards asked me to join the Fron ‘now I had time’ and my first performance as a full member was at Holy Trinity Church, Oswestry.

My favourite place to perform is The New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, but my favourite performance is one from our trip to New York in 2012 – St. Bart’s in Manhattan.

Join the Fron – it will change your life and you’ll meet some great guys. Being a member and singing in many different languages has certainly opened my eyes.

Ray Jones (Librarian)

I used to work in the Royal Navy and then North Wales Police and joined the choir in August 2017. I had always wanted to join a Male Voice Choir and was encouraged to do so by the present Musical Director. My first performance was a charity concert at Packwood Haugh School.

My favourite venue to perform so far has been the International Eisteddfod stage in Llangollen, and this was also my favourite performance to date.

I would encourage anybody who is interested to join. It's hard work especially if you have no choral experience. However, every member of this choir will support you. AND, then wait until you find yourself blasting out a song with the surrounding choristers! Such a great feeling. Two interesting facts about myself are that I joined North Wales Police on the same day and date as my fellow 2nd Tenor Adrian Goodchild and I was the first North Wales Police officer to qualify as a Police Diver.

Richard Jones

I am a Motor industry Service Advisor and, like many others, joined the Fron in September 2016. I love to sing and had been thinking about joining a choir for a while when I had the good fortune of getting involved, with my two brothers and brother-in-law, with a great bunch of guys who got together to perform a one-off concert for prostate cancer, with the Wrexham Charity Choir. My first performance with as a full member of the Fron was at St Mary's Church, Bridgnorth.

We have sung in some fabulous venues, and The New Vic Theatre, Hanley tops the list, but my favourite performance has to be our win at the Llangollen International in 2018, closely followed by my first ever concert with the Charity Choir when performing with the Fron Choir in Wrexham.

I would say to anyone thinking of joining a choir: Don’t be afraid to try! It's a daunting prospect at first but the feel-good factor you get when you perform with a group of like-minded guys never fails to make the hair stand up on the back of the neck. And if you are lucky to win a major competition with these guys, you realise how much it means to all !!!.WOW.

An interesting fact . . . I’m a very keen motorcyclist and love to travel at home and abroad. I met my wife, Gillian, on one of these trips to La Rochelle in France.

Wyn Morris

I worked all my life in the print industry but I am now retired.

I joined the Fron in September 1991, the same day as Val Jones took up the baton for the choir in the Seion Chapel, Froncysyllte. I was unhappy with the choir I was in and was asked by Paul Owens and others to join the Fron. I wanted to be part of a better team. My first performance was at the New Vic Theatre Christmas concert that year.

My favourite venue is the Royal Albert Hall in London, where I’ve sung many times, and it’s also the venue of my favourite performance which was the Festival of Remembrance.

If you join the Fron it will be the best thing you will ever do!

My father joined the Fron many years ago, persuaded by Ron Snape and Kerry Roberts, but found the commitment too much and did not continue with the choir.

Paul Owen

My Dad was in the choir and I was asked by the conductor (John Daniels) to join the choir. I told him that I would only join when the choir won the Llangollen Eisteddfod. In 1977 they did and so I joined the first practice after they had won.

My first performance with the choir was in Wrexham and I always say that my favourite venue is the last one and the next one.

My favourite performance must be the last one but I hope that the next will better that.

I work as a warehouse operative for Meridan Foods in Wrexham and I would say to anybody interested in the choir to come along and give it a go, see what it is like, who knows, you may like it.

My claim to fame is that I have won three times at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, and not many can say that.

Phil

Wilkinson

I retired January 2014 (age 58) as the Proprietor and MD – Qualified Cultural Sports Turf Consultant and Horticultural Agronomist.

I had always enjoyed singing since being in the School Choir and I joined the Fron in 2013 and graduated after four months in January 2014. My first performance was on 1^st April 2014 (not joking!) in the St. David’s Day Concert at Chirk Castle.

Being a member of ‘The Fron’ is extremely ADDICTIVE and is one reason we moved from our home county of Lincolnshire in 2012. I manufactured / hand-made thousands of ‘Victors Laurel Garlands’ for motor race meetings – many of which have been worn by extremely famous World Champions!

teve Winn (Vice Chair)

I joined the Fron choir in the middle of the mayhem that was their recording contract. That would have been in December 2007.

I always wanted to be in a male voice choir and saw them perform at St Mary's Church in Chirk and as it was a local choir I thought I would give them a try.

Because of the busyness of the recording contract, my probationary period was somewhat longer than usual and my first concert was our Christmas concert at Holy Trinity Church in Oswestry.

My favourite venue is the New Vic Theatre in Stoke but my favourite performance has to be winning at the Cornwall International Music Festival where we came off of the stage thrilled with our performance. The fact that we took three prizes that day was a bonus.

I served in the armed forces for 15 years before leaving and becoming a telecommunications engineer and eventually a telecommunications design consultant. I finished full time working life as a narrow boat engineer on the Llangollen canal.

An interesting fact . . . I have performed in front of every generation of Royals from the Queen mother all the way down with the exception of the latest generation. Not all singing performances, I hasten to add, as I also play the cornet.