CHOIRS have flourished in the Rhondda Valley for more than 150 years and nowhere has this been better represented than in Treorchy.

The present Treorchy Male Choir was formed on October 16, 1946 under the baton of the immortal John Haydn Davies.

This remarkable man led them on “a realm of gold” in the space of 20 years, transforming the raw musical recruits into an international institution.

The unique “Treorchy Sound” was heard worldwide as they made regular radio broadcasts, television appearances, commercial recordings, two feature films and an overseas tour to Switzerland.

Treorchy was to become the first male choir to venture into the uncharted territory of popular music and subsequently the choir has made almost sixty commercial recordings, making it probably the most recorded in the world.

The choir has also shared the stage with some of the world’s greatest entertainers during its long and illustrious history.

Television programmes with Sir Tom Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie Andrews, Sir Harry Secombe and Burt Bacharach were only the beginning of their long association with major celebrities and now their list of performances reads more like a “who’s who” of international stars.

This group of amateur Welsh singers have since appeared either on stage, screen or in the recording studio with the likes of Dame Shirley Bassey, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Michael Ball, Charlotte Church, Ozzy Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi, Sir Cliff Richard, Andrea Bocelli and Russell Watson.

One of the choir’s most prestigious recent engagements came on St David's Day 2013 when they received a standing ovation at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo before a royal audience including Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco along with special guest Dame Shirley Bassey.

Such was the success of the visit that the choir returned to Monaco in March 2014 and once again performed at the Hotel de Paris and in the private apartments of the prince at his palace.

The Treorchy Male Choir, a registered charity devoted to raising tens of thousands of pounds per year for worthwhile causes, remains bound together and united in the common purpose of the enjoyment of music making and of giving pleasure to others.

They will be coming to Bromsgrove's Artrix on Saturday, April 18.

Tickets for the show, starting at 7.30pm, cost £20.00 (£18.00 discount) and are available from the box office on 01527 577330 or online via artrix.co.uk.