Summer Festival Triumph

Thursday 16th August, 2012 - 12:12pm

All the programmes were sold before the doors were opened for the 80th Summer Festival concert of the Mousehole Male Voice Choir. And to match the occasion there were a record 80 in the choir.  

Another celebration came with the award of Life Membership to two long-serving members.

Clearly thrilled by her reception, Faryl, with her delightfully clear silver-toned voice, joined the choir as soloist in ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from the show Carousel and in the Welsh favourite ‘Calon Lan’.

She charmed also with her ‘Ave Maria’ (Bach-Gounod) and well-known arias by Mozart, Handel and Puccini as well as the beguiling Irish folk song ‘She Moved Through the Fair’, admirably accompanied by Annette.

And to complete the rapport between singer and fans she took a photograph of the audience for her grandmother’s album collection!

In powerful and confident form the choir reached their climax with standing ovations for their show classics ‘Bring him Home’ from Les Mis. and ‘Anthem’ from Chess.

These were two of the half-dozen new to the repertoire for the festival together with several revivals. ‘Ezekial saw de Wheel’, ‘Mill Mud’, Wagner’s ‘A Roman War Song’,  ‘Let their Be Light’ and the theme song from their latest CD ‘From Cornish Cliffs’, displayed the contrasts in mood.

There was also an Irish favourite ‘ Star of the County Down’ with Colin Trevorrow the excellent tenor soloist and an accomplished treatment of the complex Franz Biebl ‘Ave Maria’ with soloists and octet. It was a tremendous programme for this choir.

Two brothers and choir tenors, Dennis and Peter Mitchell, who have each had some 56 years membership, were presented with Life  Member certificates by former president Douglas Williams who also welcomed the guest soloist. audience and the Mayor of Penzance, Councillor Phil Rendle ( see picture above ).

Dennis, for many years, was deputy musical director and a choir soloist and Peter still regularly attends rehearsals despite health problems. “At one time there were three generations of the Mitchell family in the choir”  remarked Douglas. Their latest honour was the unanimous wish of the members.

They were ‘Choir Olympians’ he added. In congratulating the Penzance ‘Golden Girl’ Helen Glover on her Olympic triumph, to huge applause from the audience, he added “What a wonderful candidate to be the newest and youngest Freeman of Penzance”.

He thanked the many choir members on their efforts in preparing and decorating the church for the concert which was introduced by the Vicar,  Revd Keith Owen.

Presentations to Faryl, Annette and Stephen were made by secretary Tim James and chairman Reg Osborne.

The choir will sing in York Minster during  their annual tour next month (Sept) and before then  will be at Mousehole harbourside three times in August.