CÔr Meibion Pontypridd

Cor Meibion Pontypridd was founded following a meeting of a small group of men at the Educational Settlement of the town’s Y.M.C.A. on November 19th 1949. During its early years the choir was known as the Pontypridd Educational Settlement Male Choir. Mr Gwilym T Jones, who at the time was a renowned conductor and pianist, became its first conductor. He had previously conducted choirs including Cwmparc Male Voice Choir, Royal Welsh Male Choir and Treorchy and District Male Voice choir. In 1926, he took up the baton in front of Pontypridd and District Male Voice Choir. Two years later he accepted the additional duties of conducting Llanharan Male Voice Choir.

The choir’s first concert was a private one for the Cilfynydd Old Age Pensioners in the summer of 1950. In November of that year the choir performed in the Shelley Hall at their first annual concert. A month later the choir gave the first of its 14 consecutive Christmas night concerts at the old Graig Hospital. It became a tradition that the choir was entertained to Christmas cake and tea by the Hospital Administrator of that time. The concerts ceased with the reconstruction of the hospital in 1965. The first competition for the choir to enter was at a semi-national eisteddfod held at Llanharan on June 23rd, 1951. Remarkably they were awarded first prize and received considerable praise. Reading the report that appeared in the Pontypridd Observer one can appreciate their achievement. 

By the time of the choir’s second annual concert in November 1951, they were known as the Pontypridd and District Y.M.C.A Male Voice Choir. People from further afield were given the opportunity to hear the choir when they made their first BBC recording in June 1956. It featured in a programme about the centenary of the composing of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and the Bi-centenary of the building of the Old Bridge. A major concert was also held as part of the celebrations in the Town Hall. This was to be the last concert that Mr Gwilym T. Jones was to conduct. He died on December 31st, 1956 and a plaque to his memory was unveiled in the Shelley Hall in September 1957.

Following his death Mr William J. Evans, father of the opera singer Sir Geraint Evans, was appointed leader of the choir in January 1957. Previously, he had formed the Handel Glee Party in 1932 that won many prizes at various eisteddfodau during its short lifetime. He had also formed the Cilfynydd Philharmonic Choir in 1950. Under his guidance, Pontypridd and District Y.M.C.A. Male Voice choir flourished and their performances attracted large audiences. A memorable occasion on the concert platform was when the choir shared a stage with Sir Harry Secombe and Sir Geraint Evans at the Town Hall Theatre, Pontypridd in November 1959. Success also came on the competitive field and several first prizes were won at semi-national eisteddfodau. The following year the choir relinquished its connection with the YMCA and its title became the Pontypridd Male Choir. However by the time Mr William J Evans’ retired from the conductorship in January 1964 the choir was known as Cor Meibion Pontypridd.

Dorothy Davies-Ingram, who had been the accompanist for Cor Meibion Pontypridd since 1964, was appointed as the choir’s musical director.  She had previously been a member of the Shelley Singers.  Jonathan Guillford joined the choir as accompanist.  Dorothy Davies-Ingram made her debut as the choir’s musical director at the Festival of 1,000 Voices at the Afan Lido Aberavon in December 1977. In 1989 she became the first woman to conduct the 1,000 Welsh Voices at the Royal Albert Hall.  The year also marked the choir’s 40th anniversary.  As part of their celebrations Cor Meibion Pontypridd appeared in a gala concert with Liederkranz Obersingen (Male Choir) of Nurtingen in July at Hawthorn Leisure Centre.  During the same year, Dorothy Davies-Ingram decided to change her role and became both deputy conductor and accompanist while Jonathan Gulliford took up the position of director of music.