The CNMA are really pleased to be working in partnership with St Gerrans and Porthscatho Old Cornwall Society and the Roseland Music Society to put together a programme of events across 2024 researching, celebrating and sharing the diversity of music found on Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula.

Over a century ago, before setting up the St Mawes Choral Society and the Falmouth Opera Singers, Maisie and Evelyn Radford, from St Anthony in Roseland, gathered a troop of dancers and musicians to ‘bring music’ wherever they went. All types of music resounded across the Roseland and, in this project, we want to collect, record and celebrate it all. Local traditions, historic carols and hymn tunes, present day groups and compositions; were working together to capture the breadth and depth of music and music making across the Roseland peninsula (and some might say slightly beyond, depending on your definition of ‘the Roseland’!) – historically right down to the present day.

What are we doing?

We’re working with community musicians and researchers to gather information, write it up into articles which will be published here on the website, and sharing it on social media.

We’re also running a series of events and workshops throughout 2024 to engage local schools, communities with music related to the Roseland. This will include:

• January/February Series of workshops, led by Emma Campbell, in four Roseland primary schools, featuring the Bohortha Dances
• 8th February: Composer workshop, led by Ian Stephens, with students of The Roseland Academy
• 9th February: Concert from the Roseland Music Society to include the Roseland premier of Carricknath, by Ian Stephens
• 10th February: Workshop, exhibition, performance and memory day at Gerrans Parish Hall featuring schools’ performance of Bohortha Dances, St Anthony’s Noyse, Roseland Furry and more!
• April: Troyl featuring especially commissioned Roseland–related folk songs and dance. See page.
• July/August: Brass band concert featuring new arrangements of historic hymn tunes named after Roseland – more details to be announced!
• Autumn term: school workshops for carols.
• November/December: Carolling on the Roseland, reintroducing historic carol repertoire known in the Roseland area to local performing groups – more details to be announced!
• Working with the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies on a forthcoming seasonal project later in the year!

Where and what is the Roseland?

The name “Roseland” contains the Cornish word ros which means hill-spur, or peninsula; the Roseland is the peninsula in south Cornwall delineated by the Fal River to the north and  the sea to the south. Originally it consisted of just four ecclesiastic parishes; St Anthony in Roseland, Gerrans, St Just in Roseland, and Philleigh. However, many now also include the parishes of Ruan Lanihorne, and Veryan. The former port and borough of Tregony is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Roseland” and is also included in our project.

The Roseland is a rural area with no major towns; historically farming and fishing were major industries, but these days is more reliant in tourism. It is renowned for its wonderful landscapes, sheltered coves and creeks, and beautiful villages and harbours. The whole area is part of the South Cornwall National Landscape (formerly AONB). There are four primary schools and the Roseland Academy in Tregony, which we will seek to engage in the project.

Can you help?

We are gradually building a list of articles that ‘Music on the Roseland’ project – we’ve made a start but there’s much more to find!

Do you know of a group, musician, song, dance, piece of music, venue – or something else – that should be included in the project? Why not write a short article about it for the website? Or, let us know about it and we can follow it up!

The Roseland will probably have different definitions depending on who you’re asking, so we’re not making any particularly hard or fast boundaries – we’re just looking to fill the map with music!

If you’re not sure whether your idea falls within the Roseland, write it up or get in touch anyway! We would still love to include it on the website and so we can add more information about music in Cornwall.

Some articles about Music Of The Roseland:

We are grateful to acknowledge FEAST and the Cornwall Community Foundation for their support in this project.