THE CHOIR

PATRON: Iona, Lady Molesworth-St. Aubyn

PRESIDENT: Marlene Berry
VICE PRESIDENTS: David Briggs, Verna Jones & Maureen Wakeham

WCS was formed in 1985 and over 50 people attended the first rehearsal. Its first MD, and a founder member, was Janet Townsend. She was succeeded by the late Elizabeth Fryer. Due to ill-health Elizabeth had to retire and Anthony Trodd was appointed. In 2001 its present Director of Music, Tony Tournoff, was appointed.

There are currently over 55 members who are drawn from a wide area of North Cornwall. Rehearsals take place every Tuesday evening in the Wills Hall, Methodist Church, Wadebridge from 7.15pm to 9.30pm. If you enjoy singing and would like to join either contact the Hon Sec or come to the rehearsal hall. You will be assured of a warm welcome.

The choir gives two performances each year, in the spring and at Christmas. Each spring, usually in April, we perform a major choral work accompanied by an orchestra. In the spring of 2005, we performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah as part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations. For this year's concert programmes please click on 2008. Our Annual Christmas concert has a variety of Christmas music, including a major choral work. Of course, there are carols for the audience to sing, too! We also make a point of singing Carols at a home for senior citizens each year.

Some of the choir like to continue singing through May to July and for the past 4 years we have given very successful summer concerts at Pencarrow raising nearly £4,000 for the roof fund. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 we also gave a summer concert at Little Petherick Church and raised over £750 for church funds. Last year we sang to a packed hall in St Minver and raised much needed funds for the choir. These concerts demonstrate the versatility of the choir and enable members to display their wide ranging repertoire and their equal enjoyment of lighter music. This year we are giving two concerts

In September 2004, February and November 2006 and November 2007 we joined with St Columba Celtic MVC to give concerts in aid of Cancer Research UK in St Petroc’s Church, Bodmin. The total raised for the charity from these concerts is over £3,000.

In October 2004 members of the choir volunteered to sing at a Gala Concert in St Kew Church to help raise money for the refurbishment of a very old stained glass window in the north east aisle. They sang music by Richard H. Lloyd and G. F. Handel. In all over £4,000 was raised.

Each year, the choir joins with other choirs to sing in Truro Cathedral. This event usually takes place on the 2nd Saturday in October.

In 2010 the choir celebrates 25 years and we are commissioning a 30 min work from David Briggs. The text will be a selection of Betjeman's poems about Cornwall. The piece will be called "A Cornish Cantata" and will be performed at the Spring Concert on Saturday 24th April.

For more information on our concerts please look at the Diary of Events.