Sixty Five Years of Service to Remembrance Day

On Sunday 8 th November Four Lanes Male Choir marked sixty five years of service to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal with a Festival of Remembrance Concert at St Anta Church Carbis Bay. The choir was formed in 1944 to welcome back troops returning from D Day and has grown from the sixteen original members to a choir of some seventy voices. It has performed at such services and concerts ever since.

Still perfoming in the tenor section is Albert Kemp of Four Lanes who was a member of the original choir and had the privilege of receiving a certificate from the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal on behalf of the choir to mark its sixty five years of service.

This was presented by Lady Mary Holborrow Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall.

The packed audience were treated to a concert of great variety and under the baton of Musical Director Alastair Taylor, Accompanist Michael Uren and Deputy Accompanist Joanne Courtney the choir performed with passion and sensitivity.

Pieces ranged from the moving “For the Fallen and “Mansions of the Lord” to the powerful “The Old Brigade” and the intense “Soldiers Farewell.”

To mark the occasion the choir performed “Comrades Song of Hope” as a conclusion to the concert. This was the very piece that had closed the choir’s first concert in 1944.

Four Lanes Male Choir Enjoy Great Start to New Season of Song

Throughout September and October Four Lanes Male Choir under the guidance of Musical Director Alastair Taylor with accompanist Michael Uren has enjoyed a very busy start to their concert programme following its summer break.

In September the choir began its concerts at Chynale Methodist Church. Following this on the 27 th Four Lanes Male Choir was delighted to join with Mousehole Male Voice Choir with Musical Director Stephen Lawry and accompanists Portia Grant and Annette Turton at Redruth Methodist Church to take part in the celebration of Mousehole Choir’s centenary year.

The large and appreciative crowd were treated to some wonderful choral singing from the individual choirs before the choirs joined forces to lift the roof with traditional male voice works such as “Psalm 126.” The evening concluded with a rousing rendition of the ever popular "Trelawney.

A delicious supper coordinated by the Ladies Committee was enjoyed by everyone.

October saw Four Lanes equally as busy with concerts in Four Lanes and Camborne.

Four Lanes Methodist Church has undergone a complete renovation and the new building was able to house a full and supportive audience for a concert on the 4th of October in front of the choir’s home crowd.

The audience were richly treated to the full repertoire of the choir plus excellent solos from Ken Andrew (tenor) and Terry Parrell (bass) whose performance of “The Windmill” was much enjoyed by everyone.

Another highlight of the evening was the duets by David Rashleigh and Sidney Mitchell.

During the evening the new conductor’s podium was dedicated to the memory of former chorister Glasson Benney and newly designed choir ties were presented to Adam and Andrew Pascoe in memory of their mother Mrs Anne Pascoe.

Twenty Five Years Service and Life Membership Certificates were presented to Michael Thomas, Ken Andrew, Edward Hengist , Ken Perrow and Ken Parkyn.

October 11th saw Four Lanes performing to a large crowd at the Centenary Methodist Church in Camborne.

This was a particularly successful evening with the choir in fine voice and enthralling the audience with unaccompanied pieces such as “My Lord What a Morning and “Sleep Baby Sleep”. These contrasted with dynamic pieces such as “Comrades Song of Hope”,“Isis and Osiris”and “Deus Salutis.”

Four Lanes Male Choir was joined on this occasion by the highly talented RAOST Youth Choir who sang with confidence and enthusiasm under its Musical Director Alastair Taylor.

The performance of numbers such as “Ben”and in particular “Steal Away” brought the crowd to its feet and both choirs received standing ovations for their contributions to an excellent concert.

Four Lanes Male Choir’s next concert is at St Anta Church Carbis Bay on Remembrance Sunday 8 th November.