TVMVC have started their second year in existence at a rapid pace with four very different engagements in June.

 

On June 9 th they held their first Annual Gala Concert in Callington Town Hall. A packed audience, including a number of invited guests and dignitaries, enjoyed a concert during which the choir presented a programme reflecting the variety of music they had learned during their first year together with pieces specially arranged by Rosemary Cole, the choir’s Director of Music, for the evening. This gave David Crocker, the choir’s accompanist, ample scope to demonstrate the piano purchased with support from the Awards for All Lottery Fund and donations from Caradon District Council and West Devon Borough Council. Jackie and Ivor Lander were the choir’s guest artists, impressing the audience with the quality of Jackie’s singing and the versatility of Ivor’s keyboard playing, as they did in the choir’s very first full concert in September of last year. TVMVC, conscious of their own infancy, were delighted also to offer the Firefly Ladies Harmony Barbershop Quartet from St Austell the opportunity to make their first public performance. For the finale the whole cast joined to present a selection of music from West Side Story, supported by young musician, Jonathan Hollick, on the drums. Justin Leigh, the choir’s Vice President, acted as compere for the evening, keeping every thing together and flowing while providing some insight into what it is to be a presenter on BBC Spotlight and Radio Devon.

 

The following Saturday found the choir in Saltash Wesley Church sharing a concert with Stithians Ladies Choir. Stithians are considered to be one of the leading Cornish ladies choirs and they certainly did not disappoint the audience as they showed off their ability with a programme full of variety. This in turn brought the best out of TVMVC who are very much looking forward to singing with the ladies again in Falmouth in September. Janette Eathorne of Radio Cornwall compered the evening, successfully keeping everything in order and entertaining everyone with one or two of her famous yarns. There is a fine organ in Saltash Wesley and there are few better than Phil Taylor at showing what it can do; something that he did with great energy between the choir performances. A special feature of the concert was the charming duet sung by the Chairmen of the choirs. Charles Westlake and Peggy Evely are brother and sister and had not sung together for some 30 years.

 

Having performed two concerts on the Cornish side of the Tamar, it was over to the English side on the Sunday week where, after an afternoon barbecue, the choir sang at a ‘Songs of Praise’ in Chillington Methodist Church. It was here that the choir gave its first performance twelve months before. This time, not only was there another capacity audience but a choir twice the size of the original, making for a very tight fit indeed.

 

The fourth June performance took place in the Queen’s Head at Albaston on last Friday evening as part of the fund raising activities associated with the Albaston Fete. Rosemary had selected a very lively programme for the choir which was enthusiastically received by the ‘audience’ who, with the assistance of song sheets where necessary, also joined the choir in singing a set of well-known pieces. This was quite an evening, likely to live in the memory for a very long time!

 

The choir is now looking forward to July, with a performance at Riverside United Church, Looe on the 15 th and then a contribution to the Rotary Club of Looe Valley’s Charity Concert at Liskeard Public Hall on the 21 st, before travelling up to Tintagel for a concert on the 29 th.

 

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