Top star at our Annual Concert

Don't miss out on an appearance by a star of Broadway and the West End who will be our principal guest at this year's Annual Concert. John Owen Jones is a legend in musical theatre having spent four years playing The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera - a total of almost 1,500 performances in the West End.

He has also played a leading role in Les Miserables and in Showboat.  

Also in a star-studded line-up are one of Wales' foremost young pianists, Jocelyn Freeman, and Rhos-born actor Mark Lewis Jones, who has appeared in Holby City and other televised productions.

Tickets  for the event, at the near 800 seat William Aston Hall, are now available. Make sure to purchase yours at the earliest opportunity. Ticket prices in Liverpool, Manchester etc. for a similar production would be at least double the price. 

Yes Broadway and the West End are coming to Wrexham. Be there!!!

Ticket prices can be found on our Dates page or by clicking here. Comprehensive biographies of the artistes are available on our Guests page or by clicking here.

We did The Do's

Our recordings for the Do Lectures have been completed and the people in charge expressed themselves well pleased with the result. It is hoped that the choir will be seen on the Internet more than a million times when the lectures are shown at a later date.

A buzz at Bayston Hill

Our concert at  Christ Church, Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, on Saturday, May 8, was a rousing success. A large and appreciative audience enjoyed our singing and they were not slow to show their appreciation. Furthermore our Director of Music, Aled Phillips, was also pleased with the choir's performance.

The accompanist was Kevin Whitley and the guest soloist was Kevin Sudlow. Two choir members, Jim Davies and David Scott, also gave solo items. The compere was Harold Richards.

We have performed at this venue on quite a few occasions in the past and many of the audience expressed a wish that we make a return visit soon.

We'll take the hits

Since its inception in July, 2008, the choir's web site has had nearly  21,000 "hits". Marketing experts maintain that this is 'pretty good' considering that the site began from the basement as it were. 

Top man in the north

Choir secretary and first tenor Austin Thomas, has been promoted by the Welsh Rugby Union. Our "Mr Rugby" has been appointed Divisional Manager (North) - a very important post. He will know the A5, A55, A470 and A483 as well as he knows the roads around Rhos. Congratulations Austin.

In the can

Saturday, May 22, saw the final recording for our new CD which will be released later in the year. Director of Music, Aled

Click on the photo to zoom

Phillips, has worked extremely hard over the past few months ensuring not only that  the choir has been in good voice but organising the venue and a thousand and one other things pertaining to the recording. He also arranged for a trio of percussionists to be present on May 22.

The hope is that it will reflect his and the choristers' hard work and that it will give much pleasure to those who purchase a copy.

The recording was in the capable hands of Cedric Jones of  the Andante Recording Company, one who is well-known in Wales for his expertise in  that field.

Super Seaford Welcome

And a good time was had by all. That was the consensus of opinion after our visit to the East Sussex town of Seaford for a concert on Saturday, April 17.

Most of the members travelled south by luxury coach on the Saturday morning with some making the journey by car. Home stays had been arranged and others chose to stay in hotels. Everyone was treated very well.

Members joined up at St. Leonard's Church Hall for a pre-concert meal, prepared by the ladies of the church. This was very much appreciated after a long journey. Walking to the adjacent church of St. Leonard's, where the concert was held it was pleasing to see the "House Full" signs on the church door. Apparently tickets had been sold out since about a fortnight.

The choir were introduced by Jim Taylor, a former member, and the packed audience were very generous in their applause for the choir's efforts. The guest artistes were a family trio comprising of Amanda Lockyer (oboe and organ), John Lockyer (piano) and their young son Simon, who played the violin. The talented trio were very well received by the audience.

The choir's programme comprised a varied selection of items and many commented afterwards on the variety of the fare on offer, conducted by the choir's Director of Music, Aled Phillips. The accompanist was Owen Roberts, who stood in for Kevin Whitley, who was unavailable. Our thanks to Owen.

A get-together had been arranged following the concert at a local hostelry and an impromptu concert was much enjoyed by those present.

Choir members journeyed home on the Sunday morning and a meal break was taken at Stratford-on-Avon.

Thanks are due to Jim Taylor for his organisational efforts in Seaford which ensured that the visit was so successful; the people who gave choir members overnight accommodation; proprietors of the hotels used for their kindness and to the ladies of the church for the pre-concert meal. We are also indebted to John Raymond Jones and Barbara Aubrey for their work when the trip was first mooted; to the present secretary, Austin Thomas, for putting the finishing touches to the arrangements and to anyone who helped make the visit a success.

The compere for the evening was choir member Harold Richards.

What they said

A wonderful concert from the first note to the last. The conductor has obviously worked hard to get such a rich sound. - A group of people on the street outside the church afterwards.

That was a treat choral we don't often get in these parts. A retired couple who were looking forward to hearing more of the choir on the CD they had purchased.

To everyone connected with Rhos Male Voice Choir - you were amazing. It was a privilege to be there to hear you sing. - Notices and photographs in the foyer, on the stairs and in the dining room of the Avondale Hotel, where some choristers stayed.

Gareth took the hard road

Second bass Gareth Scott took the saying "on yer bike" literally when he cycled from Rhos to Seaford - a distance of nearly 260 miles which entailed more than 16 hours in the saddle.

Gareth planned his route by taking a ruler over a road atlas and plotted his ride in as straight a line as possible between the two places, avoiding motorways of course.

He began his journey at 1.30pm on Thursday, April 15, with a 93 mile ride to Stratford-on-Avon where he had an overnight stop. The next day was a 112 mile journey to Horsham and another overnight stop and then on the morning of the concert, April 17, he pedalled the 50 miles to Seaford, arriving at 1pm.

Refreshed, Gareth took his place on stage with the choir in the evening and the following morning he put his feet up and enjoyed a ride home on the coach with his bicycle safely tucked away in the boot. Well done Gareth.

Congratulations to Aled

Our Director of Music, Aled Phillips, has been appointed Head of Music at Dinas Bran High School, Llangollen. He is at present a teacher of music at Alun School, Mold. Our best wishes are extended to him for a successful tenure in Llangollen.

New CD

	The choir gathered on Saturday 24th April to continue recording our new CD. This was our second of three sessions ahead of the expected release in August 2010. The session went very well and members are eager to hear the finished product. Please call back for more details and some preview tracks soon!
Our Conductor, Aled Phillips, in good spirits during the recording.	Click on either of the photos to zoom	The choir gathers ready to start recording.