Mousehole Male Voice Choir, known as Keur Mebyon Porthenys in Cornish, returned to a favourite local church when they sang at St Hilary Parish Church on Sunday 21st April. On perhaps the sunniest day of the year so far, the choir gathered outside to enter the Church singing the spiritual "Down In The River To Pray", and also included in their first set the Appalachian folk song "Bright Morning Stars".   

The guest soloist for the evening was Lois Murray, singing with the Choir for the first time.  Her beautifully varied programme started with "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" from Handel's Messiah, and "Panis Angelicus", by Cesar Franck. Throughout the evening, Lois was accompanied on the organ by the Choir's David Ceredig-Evans.

The choir returned for a set of four Irish and Cornish songs, starting with "The Fields of Athenry", by Pete St John, as arranged by the Choir's Musical Director Stephen Lawry, and concluding with "Cornwall My Home", by Harry Glasson, a local resident to the venue, again in an arrangement by Stephen.

The audience in the packed church - plenty of chairs had to be brought in as the pews were all taken - had an opportunity to stretch legs and lungs in a congregational hymn, before Lois Murray returned to showcase her versatility of style with some pieces from the Gershwin catalogue, including a striking rendition of "I Got Rhythm". The choir then sang their third set, concluding with "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical Carousel, with Lois joining them to sing a stirring solo line.  She was clearly heard by an enthralled audience, even with one of the biggest choirs in Cornwall as her backing singers!

After Lois sang her last number, "You Raise Me Up", the choir then performed their last set, finishing the evening's entertainment with Joseph M Martin's "The Awakening".

The Choir was conducted by Stephen Lawry, accompanied by Annette Turton, with Maureen Trevorrow playing flute for "Danny Boy", and with solo lines in various pieces by Julian Dale, Graham Warren, Charles Parke, Stephen Sedgeman and David Ceredig-Evans.

Next outing for the Choir will be at Chapel Street Methodist Church, Penzance, at 7pm on Thursday 2 May as part of the Cornwall International Male Voice Choir Festival, with guests from England (Alcester Male Voice Choir) and Ireland (Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir) and local quartet Bucca's Four.