Established in 2017 in order to participate in the National Eisteddfod in Anglesey, Eryrod Meirion is a male folk choir with around 20 members, mostly from the Llanuwchllyn area in north Wales, and all of them aged between 21 and 36. The choir achieved immediate success nationally, winning the first prize at Anglesey, a feat which they repeated the following year at the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff and also in 2023 in Llŷn & Eifionydd, besides the 2018 Pan-Celtic Festival. Though nominally a folk choir, a number of other genres appear in the choir’s repertoire, notably musicals, which is in no small part due to the pervasive influence of Cwmni Theatr Maldwyn since the early 1980s.
The choir holds around 12 concerts a year, mostly in north-east Wales, and is in perpetual demand. One particularly memorable opportunity was that which was given to the choir in 2019 to take part in a promotional video produced by ‘Ffordd Cymru/The Wales Way’ in Utrecht. The choir, however, is steadfast in terms of its vision: to entertain local, intimate audiences with hearty yet accomplished singing.
The conductor of Eryrod Meirion is Branwen Haf Williams, a professional musician with extensive experience as a singer, tutor and band member and a familiar face to all who follow the Welsh rock and pop scene. Born and raised in Llanuwchllyn, Branwen realised that there was substantial untapped talent in the village, which is famous for its rich choral tradition. Although many of the members had some early experience of singing competitively at local eisteddfodau, most had not been part of a choir for many years. There was, therefore, a substantial appetite to contribute to the local tradition, and since its inception the choir has been an undisputable force for good in terms of friendship, camaraderie and identity.
Country representing: Cymru
Where and how often do you rehearse? Weekly in Llanuwchllyn
Do you have any interesting stories about your group? The most interesting ones are best not repeated!
How would you best describe your group? Close, lifelong friends.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eryrodmeirion/?locale=en_GB
X (formerly known as Twitter) Handle: @EryrodMeirion
Facebook Handle: Eryrod Meirion
