Only Men Aloud

Only Men Aloud was formed in January 2000 by Choir Master and Music Director Tim Rhys-Evans to inject some new blood into the Male Welsh Choir tradition. The choir have had regular slots on BBC Radio 4 and also Songs of Praise and in 2003 won the male choir category in the inaugural year of S4Cs Cor Cymru. Following on from this, the choir were chosen to perform on three separate occasions during the opening of the Wales Millennium Centre. They performed in the Opening Ceremony, Royal Gala, and also sang in the pre-opening banquet honouring various eminent Welsh figures including, amongst others, Bryn Terfel, Sian Phillips and Shirley Bassey.

In 2008 Only Men Aloud Entered what was to be the UK’s biggest choir competition to date, with UK choirs battling to become voted the best choir in the UK on BBC1’s hit Saturday night show ‘Last Choir Standing’. After battling through the rounds, OMA Gave some incredible performances and after an all Welsh Final, were crowned the winners and the Nations favourite choir.

The choir signed a multi-album record deal with Universal Music and their debut album was released in November 2008. They had an extremely busy 2009 performing for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, The Royal Variety Show, Silence in the Square on Remembrance Day, Friday Night Is Music Night, this list goes on. They have since completed 3 sold out UK tours including multiple arena shows in their home city Cardiff and three trips to America including visits to New York to perform at the British Consulate and the British Embassy in Washington. Only Men Aloud were winners of the NS&I Classical Brit Award for album of the year in 2010.

2011 is another exciting year for the choir and will include a summer tour visiting the heart of Wales, a second series on S4C, a Christmas album released in November supported by a brand new Christmas Tour in December.