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Mousehole Male Voice Choir is the second oldest Male Choir in Cornwall. It was formed in the autumn of 1909 by a small group of men and boys. They obtained the use of an old net loft in Mousehole, for a practice room with the purpose of learning carols to sing during the Christmas season. During its long and impressive history the Choir has grown from strength to strength and is well known internationally. In 1927 the Choir comprised thirty members, and in addition to giving concerts throughout the county it participated with success at music festivals. The Choir made its first radio broadcast in 1932 since when it has broadcast on well over 100 occasions, and in 1956 became the first Cornish Male Choir to appear on television. In 1995 the Choir featured on the B.B.C. programme “Songs of Praise” which was televised from Mousehole harbour. This was transmitted world wide and the Choir received many letters of appreciation. They have also appeared on television in “Highway,” “Country File” and “Westcountry Live. In 1933 the Choir began its highly successful Summer Festival Concerts which over the years feature guest artistes prominent in the world of concert music. Past guests have included; Bryn Terfel, Benjamin Luxon, Valerie Masterson, Alan Opie, Dame Felicity Lott and Bonaventura Bottone. The Choir continues to make concert tours within the region and further afield. More recent destinations have included Germany, Brittany, Wales, The Royal Albert Hall London, and for the 90th anniversary year a tour to Grass Valley, San Francisco, U. S. A. The Choir has also had the honour of being the first and only Cornish Male Choir invited to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, as part of the Festival of Welsh Voices. The first gramophone recordings were made in 1960, and since then several recordings have been made demonstrating the strengths and subtleties of the Choir. 2009 was the Choir’s Centenary, a significant milestone for both the Choir and the community. Many special events took place to celebrate including the publication of a Choir history book, a workshop led by Alan Simmons, and a special Flower Festival, and concerts at midsummer. At Christmas a commemorative stone plaque was unveiled close to the building where the choir first met in November 1909. The Choir now has a membership of over 80 singers, the most members in its long successful history. Tim James - Secretary ________________________________________________________ Pictures of the Choir when it just started. Here we have pictures of the choir when it had just started out.
This is the earliest known picture of the choir. This picture was taken in 1911. Back Row: T. B.WORTH, J. WARREN, R. H. THOMAS, R.
PENTREATH, J. C. MATTHEWS, W. F. BRYANT (Conductor) ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________ Past Conductors of the Choir _______________________________________________________ Past Accompanists John Harry - Accompanist The choir's regular accompanist, John hails from St. Just-in-Penwith. Music has played an important port in his life since he began studying piano at the age of eight. He has been an accompanist to numerous local choirs and operatic societies, including an impressive fifteen year run with Mousehole Male Voice Choir and a forty-five year tenure as a church organist. John's other great love is the Cornish dialect, an interest that has taken him all over the world. HE took part in the L' Orient InterCeltic Festival in Brittany and the Kernewic Lowender in South Australia. John has appeared on Australian television and made various radio broadcasts, reciting his well-known dialect poems.On occasion he will also perform his comic monologues at choir events, to popular delight. _______________________________________________________
'Concert Tour To The Isle Of Scilly - June 1939 - Picture Taken On The Pier Head St Marys' The Gift Of Tin A tin badge, replicating the blazer, badge design, has
been given to the choir members by the ladies committee as a special centenary
gift.
The badges were made by local company St Justin using tin that was
originally smelted at Chyandour, Penzance in 1862. The ingots were shipped
from Penzance on the SS Liverpool, but the boat sank off Anglesey and the tin
was not recovered until 2001. A consignment of tin was then bought by St.
Justin to make items in their Cornish tin collection.
Your chance to own a little piece of this history and celebrate the
choir’s centenary.
A limited number of the badges are for sale at £6.00 each
including p+p E-mail for enquires. Six
members of the choir with more than 50 years service . From
left…..Derek Harvey , Ivor George, Arthur Brown, Garfield Matthews, Dennis
Mitchell, Peter Mitchell. |
