The origin of the Llantrisant Choir can be traced back to a concert at a waxworks exhibition in the town in 1898. It is reported that the audience looked pleased with the choir’s performance, but were somewhat reluctant to show their appreciation. Since then, the choir has been in continuous existence (through the two world wars), performing at local celebrations, charity events, weddings, funeral
s and figuring prominently in annual services in the town on Remembrance Day and at Christmas. The Choir has sung before Royalty on a number of occasions, leading the Coronation celebrations in the town in 1953, then at the opening of the Royal Mint in 1968, the unveiling of the War Memorial at Miskin, and at the Investiture service in the town in 1969. Being a member of the Welsh Association of Male Choirs brings the benefits of wider choral opportunities for the choir. The Llantrisant Choir, for instance, has participated in the Festival of One Thousand Voices at the Royal Albert Hall on nine occasions since 1978. It has also been featured at the Morriston Tabernacle Church on the television programme “Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol”. It has sung with many distinguished artists including Dennis O’Neill, Bryn Terfel and Iris Williams. Like many male choirs in Wales, in recent years the Llantrisant Choir is seeking to increase its membership. At present, there are 50 choristers in the Choir, with a recent increase being associated with the breadth of the choir’s repertoire, and the range of its performance itinerary. It sings items chosen from the world of opera, Welsh hymns and ballads, negro spirituals, love songs and popular songs from the musical theatre. Welsh, English, Spanish German, French and Italian are just some of the languages the choristers have managed to learn to sing. The Choir has also toured abroad on many occasions. It has performed in the USA, Germany, France, Poland, Cyprus, Austria, Belgium and Slovakia. In 2009, it was the Welsh choir chosen to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the freedom from German occupation of the city of s’Hertegenbosch in Holland. In 2011 the choir was invited to sing at the Salon Varietes Theatre in Fuengirola in Spain. In 2013 the choir visited Abbeville and Crecy-en-Ponthieu in Northern France to forge friendship between the towns of Llantrisant and Crecy. It was in 1346 that the Llantrisant longbow men, under the command of the Black Prince, defeated the armies of France at Crecy. As one of the busiest and best known choirs in Wales, the Llantrisant choir continues to have a busy schedule of events over the UK and abroad, and has close connections with many other choirs across Britain.
