Combined Choirs

The two award-winning groups are the City of Truro Male Choir, conducted by Michael Sheer with accompanist Martin Davies and the Mousehole Male Voice Choir with musicial director Stephen Lawry and Annette Turton accompanist. It will be at All Saints Church, Killigrew Street in Falmouth and will be hosted by Truro as a 'return joint concert' following their visit to Penzance a year ago. Admission is £5, with children under 12 free.

Each choir has recently marked up trophy successes. Mousehole has been awarded the President's silver plate by the Cornwall federation of  male voice choirs in acknowledgement of the work they do to involve the wider community - including schools - in male voice singing.

Truro did very well in the Cornwall music festival held in  the city, gaining the Holman Cup for male voice choirs as well as the Edgar Kessell gold cup open to all winners in of adult choir classes this year.

The two choirs also took part earlier this month in the splendid international choral festival held throughout the county.

Truro took on its current name  12 years, having been 'born' put of the amalgamation of Chacewater and Carnon Downs village choirs formed in the 1940's. Two years ago at the international festival it received the Cornish Cup and did well in its UK-based section.

Michael became MD in September of that year. "The main focus has always been to give high quality entertainment and pleasure to as varied an audience as possible" said a spokesman. "The choir usually has 12 formal concerts in Cornwall a year and has previously had successful tours in Belgium and Spain".

Mousehole, based in the picturesque fishing village, is one of the senior in the Duchy being founded in 1909, and one of the largest in England with up to 80 men 'on the books', and "wonderfully Cornish, moving forward with a wide-ranging repertoire."

A recent Christmas CD, reviving traditional carols and songs has been well received and recent tours have included Wales, Yorkshire, Bristol, London and Worcester. Thy will sing at Chester Cathedral while on their Peak District tour this autumn.

They sing  25-30 concerts a years including the Mousehole harbourside on June 7 and their annual Midsummer concert at Paul parish church on June 21st.

They were the first Cornish choir to appear on national television in a memorable 'In Town Tonight' broadcast almost 60 years ago and continue to play an important part in villager life.