A young Welsh baritone will take on a starring role in a popular gala concert in Wrexham this January.

A New Year Gala, where Emyr Lloyd Jones, 25, will share the stage with the award winning NEW Sinfonia orchestra at St Giles’ Church takes place on Saturday, January 7.

Earlier this year the powerful vocalist clinched the prestigious Pendine International Voice of the Future title at the 75th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod when his “astounding” performance was compared to a young Bryn Terfel.

He won a £3,000 prize, to help further his musical career, from the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which supports cultural and community initiatives across Wales.

Now the PACT trust has got behind the vibrant gala being staged by NEW Sinfonia, a stand-out orchestra founded a decade ago by Wrexham-born brothers Robert and Jonathan Guy, and comprising multi-talented instrumentalists from North Wales.

The trust donated £1,000 to help stage the gala, and Robert said the entire orchestra is hugely grateful for the sponsorship from PACT.

Robert was on the judging panel at the Voice of the Future competition in July where Emyr won in a thrilling sing-off against soprano Oksana Lepska, of Latvia.

He said: “You could tell immediately that he is a great talent with the potential to go far. His baritone voice is astounding. It has become something of a tradition for the winner of the Voice of the Future title to sing solo at the NEW Sinfonia gala and this year we couldn’t be happier than to have Emyr in the spotlight.

“I can promise audiences they are about to witness an operatic superstar in the making.”

READ MORE:

Emyr comes from Bontnewydd, Gwynedd, the son of proud parents Derek and Gillian Jones. He grew up less than 10 miles away from the place where his singing hero Sir Bryn Terfel was raised in Pantglas.

He said he was overjoyed to have been asked to perform at the gala, especially as it is in Wrexham, not far from the Gresford home of his former singing tutor Brian Hughes.

He said: “I have never performed at St Giles Church before but I know the setting is just dazzling and I can’t wait to be in the middle of that fantastic atmosphere with the whole audience buzzing. I’ve heard so much about past galas and I know everyone gets into the spirit of the occasion, creating a joyous mood.”

The New Year gala became a hugely popular yearly event at St Giles Church, but for the past two years it has had to be curtailed due to the impact of pandemic lockdowns and social distancing.

Robert said: “It really will be a celebration of the new, as well as the New Year, there are exciting new projects happening with our own orchestra and communities all round Wrexham.

“Tickets are on sale now and we advise people to book early as the event usually sells out. There is seating for 450 and we are hoping everyone will sing-a-long to classic compositions from around the world including Blue Danube, Bolero, Sabre Dance and of course Auld Lang Syne.” 

Along with some classic arias Emyr will sing two traditional Welsh pieces, Y Cymry, and Pan fo’r nos yn hir (When the Night is long) by Ryan Davies.