80 Years in the making…

*80 Years in the Making…
*Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir | 1947–2027

In 2027, Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir celebrates its 80th anniversary. From our beginnings in a small village in North Wales to international concert stages, bestselling recordings and television screens around the world, our story has been shaped by a love of singing, lasting friendships and the support of the communities around us.

It began in 1947, when the first Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod brought singers and dancers together from countries still recovering from the Second World War. Inspired by its music and its message of friendship, the people of nearby Froncysyllte decided to form a choir of their own.
On 19 August, a public meeting at Seion Chapel set that ambition in motion. Local piano teacher Lloyd Edwards became our first conductor, with Menna Hughes as accompanist. Young men from the village youth club joined their older neighbours to help make up the 60 voices required to compete. In July 1948, the Fron stepped onto the Llangollen competition stage for the first time. 

Thirty years after our formation, we achieved a memorable double: winning the male voice competitions at both the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1977. Further Llangollen victories followed in 1987, 1994 and 2018. On that last occasion, founder members Dennis Williams and Gren Gough were still among the singers, connecting seven decades of choir history in a single performance. 

Llangollen also brought a friendship with a special place in our story. In 1955, the Fron and our village welcomed a choir from Modena whose members included a young Luciano Pavarotti, singing alongside his father. Seventy years later, in October 2025, we travelled to Modena to perform alongside the Corale Gioachino Rossini at a concert celebrating what would have been Pavarotti’s 90th birthday. Music had brought our communities together once again.  

For many people, their introduction to the Fron came through *Voices of the Valley*. Released in 2006 after music manager Daniel Glatman heard us singing at a wedding, the album reached number nine in the UK album chart and went on to achieve platinum status. Further recordings, Classical BRIT nominations and concert tours followed, bringing the sound of our choir to listeners far beyond Wales.

More recently, our connection with Wrexham AFC has opened another chapter. Through our involvement in *Welcome to Wrexham* and its promotional campaign, our singing became part of a story that has captured imaginations around the world. In April 2023, we were honoured to sing on the Racecourse pitch at half-time during Wrexham’s match against Boreham Wood—the unforgettable game that secured the club’s return to the English Football League. Our performance of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” shared in the joy of a community celebrating a long-awaited achievement. 

That relationship continued in 2025, when we featured in the Wrexham AFC and United Airlines commercial launching the club’s 2025/26 third kit. Performing “Yma o Hyd”, we joined a musical exchange between Wales and Patagonia, with a choir across the Atlantic answering our voices. The film celebrated the enduring connection between the two communities, marking 160 years since the first Welsh settlers arrived in Patagonia. For a choir founded in the spirit of international friendship, it was a fitting collaboration. [The Fron’s role in the commercial]

These appearances also led to the release of two associated singles, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “Yma o Hyd”, giving supporters and new listeners the opportunity to enjoy the songs beyond the pitch and the screen.

In 2026, audiences were invited to discover more of the people behind the music through the Sky Arts documentary series *Voices of the Valleys*. Featuring the Fron alongside Beaufort and Machynlleth male voice choirs, the three-part series followed rehearsals, performances and preparations for important events. It offered a closer look at the friendship, dedication and pride that sustain Welsh male voice singing—and at the everyday commitment behind each moment on stage. 

That everyday life is as much a part of our history as any trophy, recording or television appearance. It is found in rehearsals, in the patient work of learning a new piece, in the welcome given to a new chorister and in the friendships that grow through singing together. Behind every performance are musical directors, accompanists, volunteers, families and supporters whose contributions make it possible.

As we approach our anniversary, we remember with affection everyone who has helped shape the choir, especially those whose voices we no longer hear beside us. Their dedication has given each new generation something to build upon.

We also have plenty to look forward to: new music to learn, audiences to meet and singers to welcome. Our Welsh musical heritage remains at the heart of what we do, and sharing it is a pleasure we want others to experience.

Whether you have followed the Fron for decades or have only just discovered us, we invite you to be part of our 80th anniversary. Join us at a concert, share your memories or come along to a rehearsal.

There is still much more of our story to sing….