Truro Choral Society

Congratulations on reaching

The web site of Truro Choral Society

Our next event is:  A Choral Singing Workshop with

Paul Martyn-West.
 

Mozart Requiem

Saturday 26th September 2009 at Truro School Chapel

Start of Rehearsal 10.30 a.m.   Click here for booking form

 

Truro Choral Society was established in 1962. It is the largest choral society in Cornwall, currently with a membership of 90, and performs the major choral works, as well as contemporary works, including a number of premieres.

Rehearsals take place at the new
Richard Lander School near Truro on Tuesdays from 7.00 to 9.00 pm.

The musical director is Michael Edwards - click here to read some notes  that he has provided.


Latest news - April 2009:

We are pleased to announce that

Martin Palmer

has been appointed Truro Choral Society's Music Director

from September 2009


Martin succeeds Michael Edwards, Truro Choral Society's longest serving Music Director, whose last concert with TCS will take place at Trewithen Gardens on 7 June at 3.30 pm. 

Martin is Director of Music at Truro School. Over the last few years you may have attended some of the very well received concerts by the choirs, orchestras, ensembles and soloists from the school. Martin studied at London University and the Royal Academy of Music, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. He has a great enthusiasm for choral music, has founded and conducted many choral societies and chamber choirs and is the organist at Newquay Parish Church. 

We are looking forward to working with Martin.
 

Truro Choral Society

To enquire about joining Truro Choral Society, you may contact Cherry Sheppard, telephone 01637 874964 or email cherrysheppard@tiscali.co.uk  The society exists to give everyone an opportunity to sing choral music. There is no audition for prospective members.

Truro Choral Society performs two or three concerts each year, usually in Truro Cathedral. There is also an occasional family Christmas concert in the cathedral.

In 1997 the society was invited to participate in the gala opening concert in the Hall for Cornwall, performing Orff's Carmina Burana, under the baton of Sir David Willcocks.

In 2000, the society performed Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius to celebrate the Centenary of the first performance of this work.

In May 2002 the society celebrated its 40th anniversary with a concert when choral highlights from the previous 40 years were performed. At the same time a new book, The Story of Truro Choral Society, dedicated to the memory of the two founders of the society, was launched. Written by Isobel Hedges, and costing £5.00, it can be purchased from any member of the society or by contacting Roger Deeming - telephone 01326 377189.

"From the start it is entertaining. This really is history, skilfully laid out and full of references to places and people who had, like me, never thought of themselves as part of a changing scene until the changes had taken place.....  Well produced and illustrated in colour, this is worth £5 of anyone's money, even if, like me, you are not deeply into choral singing, history, or Truro."  -  Ian Searle, newsletter of U3A (University of the Third Age) -  Carrick - August 2002

Forthcoming Concerts:
 


Saturday
17th October 2009

St Michael's Church, Newquay          Get directions

 
Handel - Zadok the Priest
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 3
Mozart - Symphony no  29
Russell Pascoe - Salmow Kernewak


Saturday
12th December 2009

Truro Cathedral

 

Handel - Messiah
 

Saturday 27th March  2010

Carne Brea Leisure Centre

Joint Concert

 

Carl Orff - Carmina Burana

 

Saturday 19th June 2010

Truro Cathedral

Programme to be announced

* * * *

 

Recent Concerts:


Sunday 
7th June 2009

Trewithen Gardens at  3.30 pm  (Gardens open between 1.30 and 6pm)
 

Haydn - Music from  "Creation"
Soloists:
    
Heloise West  (Soprano) Tickets £15 (under 18s FREE)
Paul Martyn-West  ( Tenor)  
John Hobbs  (Bass)  
 
 
Michael Edwards  -  Conductor
Veronica Woodburn -  Orchestra leader  
     


 

Tuesday 3rd March 2009 at 8pm - Evening Concert

Church of St George, the Martyr
St George's Road
Truro    TR1 3JA

(From County Hall Roundabout go past Railway Station,
at bottom of hill turn left into St George's Road, the church is on the left.)  


 

Mozart - Coronation Mass
With organ accompaniment - organist: Clive Ellison
Admission by donation


 

Saturday 6th December 2008 at 7.30pm

In All Saints' Church, Falmouth
 

George Frederick Handel - Messiah
Soloists:
    
Cheryl Rosevear  (Soprano) Tickets £12 (students & children FREE)
Rachel Bosanko  (Mezzo-soprano)  
Nicholas Scott  (Tenor)  
Frederick Long  (Bass)
 
Michael Edwards  -  Conductor
Luke Bond  -  Organist
Sam Eddy - Trumpeter    

 

 

Saturday 8th November 2008 at 7.30pm
 

In Truro Methodist Church
 

Antonio Salieri - Mass in D (Hofkapellmeistermesse)
 
Henry Purcell - Ode for St Cecilia's Day 1692

Chaconne in G minor for strings

Benjamin Britten - Sentimental Sarabande
   
Soloists:
    
Louise Merrifield  (Soprano) Tickets £12 (students & children FREE)
Tim Carleston  (Counter tenor) from SPCK  Bookshop 01872 272771
Edward Stebbing-Allen  (Counter tenor) and at the door
Alex Pidgen  (Tenor)
Paul Charrier  (Bass)

 


Saturday 7th June 2008 at 7.30pm
 

In Truro Cathedral
 

Edward Elgar - The Dream of Gerontius
 
Soloists:
Louise Poole (Mezzo-soprano)
Justin Lavender (Tenor)

[Note:-   Justin Lavender has agreed to replace Andrew Carwood, our previously advertised tenor.  Andrew has recently been appointed as Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral. Click on the blue underlined links to learn more]

Michael Pearce (Bass)
With the Plymouth Philharmonic Choir, The Bridgeman Singers, and the Senior Choir of Truro High School for Girls.
Saturday 19th January 2008
In Truro Cathedral
Rossini - Petite Messe Solennelle
SS Wesley - Blessed be the God and Father
Vaughan Williams - Five Mystical Songs
Soloists:    
Claire Seaton (Soprano)    
Susanna Spicer (Mezzo-soprano)    
Nicholas Mulroy (Tenor)
Michael Bundy (Bass)
     

Saturday 1st December 2007

     

In Truro Cathedral

George Frederick Handel - MESSIAH
Soloists:    
Louise Merrifield (Soprano)    
Joanna Gamble (Contralto)    
Paul Martyn-West (Tenor)    
John Hobbs (Bass)    

 

 

Tickets for our concerts can be bought from the Hall for Cornwall box office, Tel: 01872 262466. They are also available 'on the door' at all the concerts.

The society exists to give everyone an opportunity to sing choral music. There is no audition for prospective members.

To enquire about joining Truro Choral Society, you may contact Anne Bartlett, telephone 01326 317241 or email anne.bartlett2@btinternet.com.
  
 

Musical Director - Michael Edwards

Michael has been the MD of Truro Choral Society since September I994; in the summer of 2006 he became the longest-serving MD after its founder, Henry Mills. The performance of Sir Edward Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius" in June 2008 will mark the society's 100th public performance, as well as Michael's 40th appearance as TCS´s musical director.

Michael has spent all his professional life working with choirs; after graduating from the Royal College of Music in 1971 he worked in various Grammar Schools in Kent, combining this with a demanding church post at St Michael & All Angels Maidstone, then with the post of Assistant Organist (twice!) at Rochester Cathedral in the 1980s. For 14 years in the 1970s and 80s he was Accompanist and Assistant MD of Rochester Choral Society, and during that time he also worked briefly at seminaries and cathedrals in Bratislava, Quimper and Lubeck.

After moving to West Cornwall in 1990, Michael built up a substantial private teaching practice. He is now in his 25th year as an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, for whom he examines abroad as well as in the UK, and marks theory papers from all over the world. He has been the Musical Director of Truro Choral Society since 1994, and is now TCS´s longest-serving MD. Previous engagements have included those of Chorus Master for Duchy Opera (still the longest-serving Chorus Master, to date!) and MD of The Duchy Singers. Performing, composing, music processing, small-scale publishing and musical journalism occupy spare corners of time.

Michael and his wife Janet (a professional violinist and teacher) live in Truro. Their daughter Sophie attends Truro High School for Girls, plays the violin and piano (not that she has much choice, under the circumstances), and breeds guinea pigs.
 

The February 2005 Concert - A Postscript

On Saturday 19th February 2005 the concert included Bryan Kelly's   Crucifixion

This was performed in the presence of the composer.  After the concert, Bryan Kelly commented favourably on the performance:

"I was so impressed by your performance of my work - congratulations to you and the choir. Many thanks to Linda Pelham also, for her kind help. It was especially pleasing to have such a large and enthusiastic audience!  With very best wishes to you all,  Bryan Kelly."
 

 

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The Truro Choral Society Web Site is maintained by Andrew Crawshaw - contact address: Crawshaws@aol.com Mevagissey, who also hosts the
web site of St Austell Choral Society -
www.staustellchoralsociety.co.uk