THE Central Methodist Church in Launceston was the natural chosen venue for the ‘Celebration Concert’ to mark the 50th anniversary of the formation of the choir in 1969.

Members of four other Cornish choirs joined the Launceston Choir in a memorable evening of choral singing with more than 100 taking part. The seven strong local group ‘Flute Cocktail’ also enthralled the church that was filled to capacity. In addition, the occasion was also marked by the presentation to Mr John Beare of a long service certificate for fifty years service to Cornish Choral Music by the chairman of the Federation of Cornish Male Choirs, Mr Phil Taylor.

The choir was formed by a small group of twelve some fifty years ago when the Launceston Brotherhood was being disbanded. Initially called the Launceston Methodist Male Voice Choir, their numbers grew steadily and now number over fifty drawn from all over North and East Cornwall.

A second award was also made to Mr Beare to commemorate his dedicated service and support for more than forty years, and he now becomes the first Emeritus musical director to the choir.

All the items for the evening had been chosen specially to demonstrate the range of music the choir has performed since formation, concluding with the ever loved ‘Morte Christe’, when the choirs were joined by some ex-members who can no longer attend every event. The concert was the first formal engagement for Mr and Mrs David Gordon, the newly elected mayor and mayoress of Launceston.

The sum of £500 from the evening has now been donated to the choir’s chosen charity ‘Children’s Hospice South West’.