June 1942: Four men, led by Edgar Ham, formed a choir and practised in Colonel Carey-Morgan’s barn at Calenick after their Home Guard duties.

1942-1948: Gordon Hall, the organist of Falmouth Parish Church, became their first Musical Director.

1945: The choir expanded at the end of the Second World War and moved to Kea School where the Head Master, Arnold Williams, became their second Musical Director. He held this post for the next twenty-eight years. During that time they won the County Music Festival on several occasion.

16th March 1968: Took Part in the Thomas Merritt Tribute concert conducted by Sir Malcolm Arnold in Truro Cathedral.

1978: Tour to Wrexham with sixty-five singers.

August 1979: Terence Burleigh, Musical Director.

1980: Provided eight singers to represent Cornwall at the Lorient Celtic Music Festival in Brittany.

1980: David Ferry, Accompanist.

1980 Carnon Vale Male Voice Choir with MD Terry Burley

1983: Took part in the 1,000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

1988: David Kessell, Musical Director. (1988 prog)

1988: Kate Evans, Accompanist. (1988 prog)

Only five miles apart, Chacewater & District Male Voice Choir and Carnon Vale Male Voice Choir enjoyed a friendly relationship over the years giving the occasional joint concert together and even loaning each other singers when needed. However, by the early 1990s the membership of both choirs was falling and the obvious solution was to amalgamate. After a unanimous vote in favour by both memberships, amalgamation occurred in 1991, and the Chacewater Carnon Vale Male Voice Choir was born. Ann Birch became their Musical Director.

 

We are indebted to John Larke of the City of Truro Male Choir for permission to include information and photographs from the City of Truro website: https://www.cityoftruromalechoir.co.uk/history

 

This is a part of the Cornish National Music Archive (CNMA) project to Collect, Preserve and Share our Cornish Heritage and Culture.