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Froncysyllte (pronounced vron-cuss-ulth tay) is a small village at the eastern entrance to the Vale of Llangollen. Set in beautiful countryside in the Northeast corner of Wales it would be "just another village" if Thomas Telford had not built his famous aqueduct to carry the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee. Thousands of visitors come to this World Heritage Site each year to marvel at his engineering skills and the groundbreaking work of the local iron foundries 200 years ago that made the project possible.
In 1946 the people of Llangollen (which is 4 miles down the road) as a gesture to International Peace, decided to ask former enemies, to come together in the friendly competitive atmosphere of a traditional Welsh Eisteddfod. Invitations went out for 1947 and the Llangollen International, Musical Eisteddfod was born. Europe was in the grip of ruin. No one was sure if anyone would come. But they did come, and have been coming ever since.
 Cefn Chronicle 14th August 1947 | The village decided that the Eisteddfod was a good idea and Mr Gomer Powell called a public meeting with the formation of a choir as the object. The Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir was formed at that meeting with J.R. Jones (Joe Jordan) as the first Chairman (Joe never became a Member of the Choir as he maintained that his voice was just too awful), Mr Lloyd Edwards, a well-known local piano teacher was appointed Conductor and immediately became the driving force behind the Choir with his devotion and enthusiasm. Menna Hughes, daughter of Robert Hughes the founder Treasurer and one of Lloyd's pupils was appointed as the first Accompanist. To compete in the Male Voice Competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod the Choir needed 60 voices so Wilfred Jones, the leader of the Froncysyllte Youth Club, persuaded the young men of the village to join. He was so successful that the 1947 Fron Choir had the youngest membership of any Welsh Male Voice Choir - a tradition of youth that has continued to this day. |
The Choristers stayed together after the Eisteddfod with Watkin Williams (a prominent County Councillor and much respected character in the village) as the Chairman. Lloyd Edwards together with John Richard Davies as his Deputy went on to win major choral competitions and a reputation for excellence at home and abroad. Lloyd held the Choir's baton until his untimely death in 1970.
Now in its 67th year, the Choir has had four excellent Conductors since Lloyd. John Daniel, who for 21 years followed in his steps and led the Choir to success in the National Eisteddfod of Wales and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, as well as an International reputation. Val Jones succeeded John in 1991 and for the next 11 years consolidated that reputation in competition. From 2002 until 2009, Ann Atkinson led the choir during one of its most exciting phases, a major recording contract with Universal Music and four "Voices of the Valley" CD's and the "Voices of the Valley - Live" DVD.
The "Fron" Choir now has a first class Conductor in the person of Leigh Mason and looks forward to continued progress and success as one of the most distinguished Male Voice Choirs in a nation renowned throughout the World for producing Male Voice Choirs of the highest quality.
CHOIR HIGHLIGHTS SINCE 2007
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