Opened by HRH The Duke of Kent

Wednesday 12th April, 2017 - 10:26am

The Chair and Trustees of the Solomon Browne Hall invited the choir to sing at the official opening of the hall last Monday. The official opening was performed by HRH The Duke of Kent KG who arrived by helicopter and then travelled by car to the harbour front. The Duke of Kent walked up Duck street, where the choir was originally formed in 1909, and was greeted by other dignitaries. Forty members of Mousehole Male Voice Choir were there too, singing an unaccompanied Tom Gentry’s arrangement of ’Sound Celebration’. The Duke stayed to listen to the singing and, once the choir had concluded, he came over with The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall to talk to choir members. Colonel Bolitho drew the Duke's attention to Ken Prouse, one of the second tenors, to whom he had presented the British Empire Medal the week previously. The Duke spent time talking to both Ken and Stephen Lawry, the choir’s musical director. He then went into the Heritage Centre to  look at the exhibits before proceeding upstairs to meet other guests and unveil a copper plaque to commemorate his official opening. Joining the other guests were five members of the choir - Ken Prouse, Stephen Lawry, Charles Law (Chairman), Tim James (Secretary) and Derek Harvey who is the longest serving member and has been in the choir for sixty-seven years. For some time the Duke talked to Stephen and the other four members of the choir about the music and how he had enjoyed listening to the choir sing. This was a wonderful occasion which was enjoyed by all. The choir would like to thank the Chair and Trustees of the Solomon Browne Hall for inviting them to participate in this most prestigious event.

 

Our thoughts now turn to the Cornwall International Male Choral Festival. The choir are performing a concert with Marazion Apollo, Melbourne Welsh (Australia) and Grass Valley (USA) Male Voice choirs on Thursday 27th April at 7:30pm in Chapel Street Methodist Church, Penzance. Then, on Saturday 29th April, they will compete with seven other choirs in the "41 voices and over" category  for the Festival Trophy and Pendennis Trophy for the best Cornish choir. Tickets for Thursday’s concert can be obtained from Morrab Studios, priced £8.50. It is advised to buy your tickets prior to the event to avoid disappointment at the door!

 

If anyone is interested in joining the choir, come along to our practice night, on Monday evenings from 7:30pm, and introduce yourself to to our MD, Stephen Lawry or to Tim James our secretary. The choir have now moved to Paul Parish Church and will remain there until early October.

Photos: Greg Martin (The Cornishman)