To post your choir's news items or notices on this site contact the Federation Secretary, Linda Jones on linda@fed-cornishchoirs.org.uk or tel: (01726) 61180. If you would like to be notified when new items are added to this page, or receive other information circulated to choirs, contact Linda Jones, Secretary, with your email address.

DISCLAIMER: Any opinion expressed and advice offered in this website is not necessarily that of the Federation or its officials and no responsibility can be accepted for the results of following contributors' advice.

ARRANGING A CHOIR TOUR? Neil Shepherd, MD of “Laudate!” and also a qualified travel agent and tour operator has kindly offered suggestions and advice to choirs planning tours. This item first posted June 2009 and retained for reference. Click on the link below. Tours

Jeff Wayne's iconoc rock musical - THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
7-11 September 2010 at Trelissick Gardens

The Carnon Downs Drama Group are celebrating their 40th anniversary and to celebrate they have secured the rights to present Jeff Wayne's iconoc rock musical "The War of the Worlds". Featuring a live eight piece band, a cast of forty actors, Martian fighting machines and performed (by kind permission of the National Trust) at Trelissick Gardens near Truro this promises to be a truly "not to be missed" production. Although this is an officially licensed production, it does not form part of the official arena tour.

For booking details click to see the online poster POSTER

Sent by Peter Gummow, St Stythians MVC
News item posted 31/08/2010

PELYNT MVC'S CHOIR LIBRARIAN RETIRES AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS' SERVICE

Pelynt Male Voice Choir's Librarian, Noel Ford and his wife Joyce, are leaving Pelynt and moving to Launceston. Noel has been with the Choir since 1983 and choir librarian for at least 20 years. As a farewell present to Noel and Joyce, choir chairman, Dennis Julian and his wife Evelyn, arranged a surprise visit to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway last Sunday afternoon. Choir members made their way direct to Bodmin General and Noel and Joyce were taken for a surprise outing. It was a wonderful afternoon as we arranged to hire one complete carriage and the choir members and their wives took food for a picnic on board. Noel had been a railwayman all his working life, starting as a signalman at Helston, then moving to Truro East box before going to Royal Oak between 1957-60 and then West Ealing 1960-63. You can imagine Noel and Joyce's delight at having an outing on the preserved railway; "Just the job! 'ansom!" was Noel's response. We all had a really enjoyable afternoon of cameraderie and fun.

We all wish Noel and Joyce every happiness in their new abode and we will miss them both very much. Our new librarian is John Trewin, the only founder member still with the choir. We wish him the best of luck in handling all our vast library of music.

Sent by John Trethewey, Pelynt MVC
News item posted 26/08/2010

LONG SERVICE AWARDS for MOUSEHOLE MVC CHOIR MEMBERS

Mousehole Male Voice Choir is now in its 101st year of singing history, growing from a group of 12 men who met in a net loft in the tiny fishing village to practise carols for Christmas 1909. In his poem, "Ode", the Irish poet, Arthur O'Shaughnessy writes: "They had no vision amazing of the goodly house they were raising". Those few Mousehole men could scarcely have dreamed that from them would grow one of the biggest choirs in Cornwall, with more than 80 members today, whose name would be known around the world. Some of the descendants of those original members are members today and the choir has a remarkable record of long service history in its ranks, many with 20 years and 30 years membership, some with 40 and 50 years; Tenors Sidney Waters and Ivor George achieving 60 years. The latest to be honoured for 60 years of loyalty and allegiance is 1st Tenor, Derek Harvey. Choir President, Douglas Williams, was pleased to present Derek with a gold badge, awarding him Life Membership and a framed certificate from his fellow members at the choir's 78th Summer Festival Concert in St Mary's Church, Penzance on Sunday 1 August. Douglas remarked that singing Tenor, like Guinness, must be good for you. Referring to this 'Diamond Jubilee' Douglas said that Derek followed in family and Methodist Chapel Choir footsteps and tradition, joining when he was 17 and the male voice choir was just 23 strong - all from Mousehole - with subscriptions at "tuppence a week". In his time, he was Choir Librarian for a few years, Attendance Officer since 1968 and has been Assistant Treasurer since 1955 when he came back from his national service. Over the 60 years he has been in the front row for thousands of concerts and rehearsals and has missed very few.

Douglas Williams took pleasure in also awarding Life Membership to Garfield Matthews who first joined the choir in 1939. Only war service and some years of shift work kept him away from the choir - he would otherwise have created an even greater record. Garfield is still singing with the choir at the age of 87 and it is a real family affair with his son, John, also a member; Garfield's wife, Betty and John's wife, Kath, are the keenest of supporters for the choir, and grand-daughters, Jenna and Morwenna are regular guest duettists with the choir. Tributes were also paid to three absent friends whose health problems prevented their presence at the Summer Festival Concert. Greetings and affection were sent to Diana Ford, a piano soloist and accompanist for nearly 65 years, and to past President, Canon Harvey Pentreath and his wife, Dorothy.

Sent by Trevor Walker, Mousehole MVC. Photography by Ray Sowden.
News item posted 08/08/2010

OBITUARY - THE REVEREND PROFESSOR BARRY JENNINGS

Members of the Federation were greatly saddened to hear of the death of Barry Jennings in June this year. Barry Jennings was President of the Federation for over 17 years, stepping down last year on the grounds of ill health. He gave energetic and dedicated service to the male voice choirs of Cornwall. A service of thanksgiving for his life was given at St Mary's Church, Callington on 6 July at which the many aspects of his life were celebrated: his family, his scientific academic career, his scientific work in industry with English China Clays, his training in theology and his love and support of male voice singing. Terry Hodge, Chairman of the Federation, gave the following obituary: I first met Barry nearly 20 years ago when he moved to St Austell and attended Holy Trinity Church. We became friends and I soon discovered that not only did he have a deep Christian faith but he had a love for male voice choir singing. I was involved at that time with Eastern Area Male Voice Choir - a choir connected to English China Clays. I was asked to invite Barry to become President and he and Penny attended a practice, to meet the choir. I stepped forward to welcome Barry and Penny, tripped over a chair and landed on the floor in front of them - what an introduction!

Barry and Penny attended many concerts and spent a weekend with the choir on the Isles of Scilly where he chaired two concerts.

Barry became President of the Cornish Federation of Male Voice Choirs and chaired many concerts held for charity, one being at the Royal Albert Hall and another in Truro Cathedral. His Christian faith was evident in his remarks as Chairman and President. He was very dedicated in his role as President.

Barry retired as President last year and became a Life member of the Federation. On retirement, he donated to the Federation a President's Plate which was awarded this year to the choir which had worked extensively with children and young people, encouraging them to become involved in singing.

It has been a privilege to have known Barry - a real gentleman.

God bless you, Barry. Rest in Peace.

Terry Hodge, Chairman of the Federation of Male Voice Choirs.

Obituary posted 19/07/2010

NEWS FROM BENDIGO, AUSTRALIA

The Federation's 'Australian Bush Fires Concert' held in February this year raised £1100 towards the fund to aid Bendigo, Australia. Tom Luke from the Cornish Association of Bendigo has kindly contacted the Federation with news, set out below:

"Greetings One and All! It is the intention of the Cornish Association of Bendigo and District assisted with finances by the Combined Male Voice Choirs of Cornwall to erect a monument at St.Just Point in Bendigo. This monument to commemorate the solidarity between Cornwall and Bendigo will remember this the Cornish Heart of Bendigo which was so destroyed in the tragic fires of Black Saturday in February 2009.

"Preliminary discussions have been held with the local councillor and discussions also on the type of memorial and surrounds. Several ideas have been canvassed for the site and the surrounds with a possibility of adding a Park Bench and a Garden of Cornish Bluebells. Everything is at discussion point at the moment and it is hoped the City of Greater Bendigo will assist this venture.

"Attached photograph shows the President of the Cornish Association of Bendigo George Ellis looking at possible granite blocks which would form the centre piece of the monument. Additional photograph shows another monument near St Just Point. In a recently released DVD Bendigo Historian Ray Wallace stated "It was not the large mine owners but the sweat and blood of the Cornish Miners that made Bendigo."

"Wherever you are in the Cornish World, if you would like to support the erection of this monument drop us an email and we will see they all get recognition when our endeavours are complete. Email: tomluke@westnet.com.au".

Sent by Tom Luke, The Cornish Association of Bendigo and District, Australia
News item posted 13/07/2010

LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER

A letter has been written to the Prime Minister by Trevor Walker of Mousehole Male Voice Choir, urging the repeal of the law which created Temporary Events Notices. Trevor has sent a copy of this letter for members to view. See below.

Sent by Trevor Walker, Mousehole MVC
News item posted 13/07/2010

SEVEN NEW MEMBERS for MOUSEHOLE MVC!

Mousehole Male Voice Choir has recently had the biggest single boost to its numbers in recent times, with 7 new members taking the platform and there are now 81 men to proudly wear the choir badge. Not only have the new men swelled the numbers, they have reduced the average age of the choir by several years!

The 12 founding fathers who gathered in a net loft in Duck Street in the tiny Cornish fishing village of Mousehole to practise carols for Christmas 1909 can hardly have imagined that their small group would become on of the largest male voice choirs in Britain, with more than 89 members whose recordings would be heard around the world, performing at least 30 concerts each year and some new bookings are already being made for 2012. As well as a full concert programme, the choir will be taking part in school assemblies to encourage youngsters, particularly boys, to sing.

Mousehole Male Voice Choir has an impressive string of 'firsts' in national radio programmes, then TV appearances and was the first non-Welsh choir to be invited to take part in the 1000 Welsh Voices Concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, London. The choir has performed in Germany, France and America and their international appearances have helped to bring thousands of tourists to visit their tiny and picturesque village base.

The choir will shortly present its Summer Festival Concert in St Mary's Church, Penzance on Sunday 1 August. This annual concert has been a very special feature in the choir's engagements since 1933 and has brought to Penzance as guest artistes, some of the big names on the international music scene, amongst them Owen Brannigan, Bryn Terfel, Dame Felicity Lott, Dame Valerie Masterson, Cynthia Glover, Alan Opie, Benjamin Luxon, Buonaventura Bottone, John Treleaven. This year's guest is the Devon based Soprano, Heloise West, making a welcome return after her thrilling performance in 2006.

Musical Director, Stephen Lawry, has chosen a varied repertoire for the 2010 season, many of them new pieces, and the choir's accompanist, Annette Turton, will be a very busy lady!

Six of the new members are shown above
David Noall, David Williams, Rodney Ward, Brendon Sleeman, Keith Hopkins and Perran Nye.

Sent by Trevor Walker, Mousehole MVC
News item posted 3/07/2010

CHOIR UNIFORMS ON OFFER

Sent by Alan Dawe, Tintagel Orpheus MVC
News item posted 30/05/2010

ST COLUMBA CELTIC SOON TO BID FAREWELL TO THEIR HIGHLY ACCLAIMED MD,
TONY TOURNOFF

St Columba Celtic MVC's beloved Musical Director, Tony Tournoff, is moving away from Cornwall for family reasons. He will be 'out front' until the choir's annual concert on 14th August and then he's off! In the 8 years he has been with the choir, he has been an inspiration and has brought the standard of the choir up enormously. Until and unless we get a new MD, our two deputies, Arthur Archer and Trevor Stephens will be holding the baton.

If there is anyone out there who would like to take us on, we'd love to hear from them!

Sent by Steve Burstow, St Columba Celtic MVC
News item posted 30/05/2010

CHRIS BENNETT JOINS NEWQUAY MVC MUSICAL TEAM

Newquay MVC is delighted to confirm the appointment of Chris Bennett as its new accompanist. Chris has recently (April 2010) joined our music team and is now working well with our Musical Director, Judith Pinguey. With this partnership in place, the choir is looking forward to further developing its enviable reputation for the quality of its singing and the entertainment value of its programme.

Sent by Rob Spowart, Newquay MVC
News item posted 30/04/2010

NEWQUAY MVC WIN THE PRESIDENT'S PLATE

At the recent AGM, Newquay Male Voice Choir was awarded the President's Plate in recognition of their work with young people.

Jim Christophers, Publicity Officer, spoke on behalf of the Federation Executive, informing the meeting that three brilliant applications had been received. These were from Mousehole MVC, Newquay MVC and Praze Hayle MC. It was 'heart warming reading' he said, to realise the work that has been going on, involving young people in music. The Federation officers had read each application carefully, had thought about each carefully and in the end had made a unanimous decision. All three choirs more than met the criteria that were set out. However it was felt that one choir had the edge in terms of the proactive way in which they engaged with local school groups and were able to demonstrate a significant impact on the community. This choir was Newquay Male Voice Choir.

Terry Hodge, Chairman, congratulated the winners and presented the silver plate to Rob Spowart, representative of Newquay MVC. In giving his thanks, Rob Spowart included all those at Newquay and everyone in the male voice choir community working hard to connect with young people. He stated that if Newquay MVC can help in any way with ideas they would be delighted to do so, commenting that it can be 'exciting stuff' and a really good experience. We all wish to keep male voice singing thriving in Cornwall.

Left to Right: The Rev Barry Jennings (retired President, who donated the Silver Plate for the Awards),
Terry Hodge, Chairman and Rob Spowart, Newquay MVC

News item posted 25/04/2010

FEDERATION CHOIRS SING FOR CORNWALL'S CATHEDRAL

A truly magnificent Federation concert was held on Saturday 24 April to help raise funds for the Cathedral's Inspire Cornwall Appeal.

Four member choirs took part: St Stythians MVC, Imerys Mid-Cornwall MC, Newquay MVC and Marazion Apollo MVC. The programme included soloist, Maggie Holden and the Cathedral's organist, Christopher Gray who also gave a magnificent solo performance during the evening.

This was an outstanding and varied programme. It was a delight to listen to the choirs singing from their own repertoire, each choir having an individual flavour.

Soloist, Maggie Holden sang a beautiful selection of songs, including 'Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion!' from Handel's Messiah and by contrast, Jerome Kern's 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man'. The Rev Robert Oakes, chairing the concert, gave clear and exuberant introductions to the programme, including some informative and some amusing tales between sections.

For the final part of the evening the four choirs combined to sing five well known and well loved pieces. What a magnificent sound they made! For the last song, the audience rose to their feet and joined in with the choirs' moving rendition of Trelawny, given even more power by the accompaniment of the Cathedral's organist. This was a wonderful finale, uplifting and full of joy.

If you were taking part in the Concert, or in the audience and would like to send your comments, send me an email and I may be able to add your comment to this news item. Click link below.
Linda Jones, Secretary: linda@fed-cornishchoirs.org.uk.

COMMENTS

RECEIVED FROM DAVID HUTSON, ST STYTHIANS MVC: "We discussed the concert at practice last night. Superb! Ken felt that we and the other choirs sang well and that the combined pieces also went very well. I have found that the Cathedral acoustics are a bit dodgy when in the audience, sitting near the back - but it is an electifying experience to sing there from the stage (my first time). Songs of Praise has a different feel because we were 'the congregation'.

Soloist, Maggie Holden with Chairman, Terry Hoge.

News item posted 25/04/2010 - updated 28/04/2010

St Stythians Male Voice Choir at Rottingdean Spring Music Festival

The 2010 Rottingdean Spring Music Festival was held between 28th February and 13th March. This is another new initiative from Dr Roy Wales, founding Director of the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival.

The St Stythians Choir was invited as the main attraction at the Final Festival Gala Concert in St Margaret’s Church, Rottingdean on Saturday 12th March. The soloist was Sally Porter Munro, a mezzo-soprano with the San Francisco Opera. The local Brighton Male Voice Choir also participated. St Stythians choir, with supporters totalling 90 people, stayed for 2 nights in Brighton over the final festival weekend.

Sent by David Hutson, St Stythians MVC
News item posted 19/03/2010

NEWLYN MALE CHOIR - Newsletter

Dear Patrons/Friends,

At the end of December 2009 Neil, our conductor, resigned from the choir due to other commitments. John Philpotts, one of our former conductors, was asked if he would step in to take us for the time. John will take us for the foreseeable future. The choir committee had a meeting with John before our first practice and he explained which music he would like us to sing, and we think his choice will be very entertaining. John started at our first Practice on 11th January 2010.

On February 7th we had our annual choir lunch at the Portminster Hotel, St Ives and we had a good time. There was also a talk given by Mr J Anderson on Japanese armour which was very interesting. Mr Foss was going to give us a talk on his time in music but he was taken ill on the Sunday morning of the lunch and taken to hospital. We all hope he is feeling better now. We thank Mr John Anderson for stepping in at the last minute to help us out.

We had our AGM on the 22" February at the Trinity Centre Newlyn. All the choir committee 2010 is the same as 2009.

The first engagement we have this year is at the Queens Hotel in March for a private function.

There will be a Buccas Fair again this year in July at the Trinity Centre. We expect more on this in the next news letter.

Mike George, Patrons Secretary

Sent by Mike George, Newlyn MC
News item posted 17/03/2010

A WARM WELCOME FROM THE FEDERATION to TREVERVA MALE VOICE CHOIR

The Cornish Federation of Male Voice Choirs is delighted to welcome Treverva Male Voice Choir as new members of the Federation.

Treverva Male Voice Choir was formed in 1936 and is based in the small Cornish village of Treverva, close to the Fal and Helford estuaries. With a membership of about 35 enthusiastic singers, the Choir averages two concerts a month throughout the year. These have helped many charities raise thousands of pounds.

The choir is renown for its high standards of performance and often performs at competitive music festivals where it has has achieved considerable success at major festivals both locally and nationally.

More information about Treverva MVC can be found on their website:
beehive.thisiscornwall.co.uk/trevervamalechoir.

News item posted 14/03/2010

CORNISH FEDERATION MAKE A GLORIOUS SOUND
at 'AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES' CONCERT

The above 2 photos by kind permission of David Hunter, HNT Photography

That magnificent, powerful sound of a mass choir of male voices entranced the audience at the Federation's charity concert on Saturday evening, 20 February. This wonderful programme of traditional male voice songs was a delight, filling the hall with its beautiful sound and the sheer joy of music.

Federation Chairman, Terry Hodge, welcomed everyone at the concert. He referred to one of the main purposes of the Federation, to foster and develop the fellowship which binds Cornish choirs together, pointing out that this evening demonstrated the extent of this fellowship, to include our 'cousins' in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. Denis Nightingale of BBC Radio Cornwall was an excellent compere for the evening. His interesting and informative insights into the Cornish connections with Bendigo brought the full meaning of this occasion to life and touched the hearts of everyone present in a way which was both profoundly moving yet light and friendly and at times, humorous. The programme, which commenced with a truly rousing rendition of Jesus Shall Reign, was a well balanced mix of traditional male voice hymns, classical pieces, spirituals and show songs. The concert soloist was 19 year old soprano, Natalie Stevens. She sang with a clear beautiful voice, having chosen a varied selection of songs, popular and classical, including her favourite 'O Mio Babbino Caro' by Puccini. Natalie has an ambition to become an opera singer. At present she is a student on the University of Plymouth's Performance Production course. She studies singing with Veronica Jones and has won prizes at local music festivals, including the Challenge Cup at last year's Wadebridge Music Festival. Natalie has performed as a soloist in concerts with Launceston, Stratton and Tintagel Male Voice Choirs and also sings as a member of the Minstrels Choir. The finale was a joyous climax - a full and resounding rendition of Trelawny. The audience rose to its feet and joined in, waving Cornish flags! There was even an Australian 'Kangaroo with Boxing Gloves' flag present - a symbol of an Australian sporting triumph, now well known throughout Australia and well loved.

Terry Hodge thanked everyone involved for their hard work, the singers and musicians and all those who had helped and given their support in the background.

The concert's aim was to raise funds to help those in Bendigo, Australia, who had suffered in the bush fires last year. Denis Nightingale stated that Bendigo claims to be the largest Cornish city in the world. It has a statue of a Cornish miner outside the town hall and there are thousands of people there proud of their Cornish ancestry. His recent trip to Bendigo showed him two things, he said - one the impact of the Cornish on Australia and secondly the impact of the bush fires. It's hard in Cornwall to imagine a fire which spreads faster than a person riding a galloping horse or the destruction it leaves it its wake, but that's what happened last year. The total raised will be posted on this site as soon as possible.

To find out more about the background behind this charity event click here: Charity Concert 2010

News item posted 22/02/2010

NEW CD for NANKERSEY MALE CHOIR'S DIAMOND JUBILEE

NANKERSEY MALE CHOIR is pleased to announce that its latest CD has now been released. Entitled "60th Anniversary", this "Diamond Celebration" features some of the Choir's favourite songs and hymns sung over the last 60 years - a charming blend of old and new.

Full details of the tracks will shortly appear on the website www.nankerseychoir.org and copies of the CD may be obtained via any choir member. The main contact for this purpose would be:
Alan Jory Tel. 01872 862947.