£650+

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Yes, you read that correctly … the choir helped to raise the amazing sum of £650       ( and counting! ) at the concert they gave on Saturday 16th April.

It was a really lovely evening shared by a large, enthusiastic audience, with our good friends the Glee Singers and enhanced by the acoustics and welcoming ambience of Camborne Catholic Church. Even the weather was on our side!

The ladies sang their hearts out – beautiful music sung with soul and accompanied by our very own treasure Rico, his first concert with us. The Glee Singers with their own style of relaxed a Capella music had the audience smiling and tapping their feet. Thank you for joining us, gentlemen.

The success of the event was, of course, due to the hard work of many people, including those who organised the raffle, dealt with the catering, carried and set up heavy equipment, provided prizes and the myriad things which go towards an enjoyable event. And what a wonderful amount was raised by the very generous audience and various donations. This £650 ( and rising ) is the first amount raised to go towards the next undertaking by Cara Coweth Water Sierra Leone – providing solar energy for the town of Medina which will cost an estimated £10,000 to £14,000.

Thank you to everyone

Job well done!

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Good news!

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In the news today ….

Singing in a choir boosts the immune system of people affected by cancer, according to a new study.

“Singing in the choir is about more than just enjoyment, it genuinely makes you feel better”

Diane Raybould, 64, Bridgend Sing With Us Choir

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  • Being in a choir could help the body fight cancer by boosting the immune system
  • Singing reduces stress hormones, such as cortisol, and boosts mood
  • Reducing anxiety takes strain off immune system so it can fight disease
  • People with depression experienced the greatest mood improvement
  • The research suggests singing in a choir could help put cancer patients in the best possible condition to receive treatment and stop tumours returning.

Read the full report HERE

and HERE with rather technical jargon!

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This Charity begins at home …

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Our first concert of the new season will be in aid of Cara Coweth Water, Sierra Leone.

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Cara Coweth is a charity founded in Stithians, Cara Coweth being Cornish for “A caring group of people working together” and the aim is to raise money to build clean drinking water wells in rural areas of Sierra Leone.The money sent covers the cost of the materials, many of which are given at a discounted price by local businesses. The wells themselves are hand-dug by the local people.

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Choir members Mollie and Monica on one of their visits to Sierra Leone

The availability of clean water doesn’t only benefit health. Children usually head out into the jungle in the mornings to find water to carry home. The time spent doing this prevents them from going to school, therefore with water available on their doorstep the children can go to school and improve their prospects for the future.

Pictured below is the first official well, which was presented to the people of Lungi Village on the 5th April 2013. Future plans include more wells and funding for solar panels to run the generators at Madina. £10,000 needs to be raised so that renewable energy can replace costly fuel.

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The choir is honoured and delighted to be able to support this remarkable charity and we would love all our friends and followers to join us at the concert so that we can raise lots of money.

Here are the details:-

SATURDAY APRIL 16th  7.30pm at the Church of St John the Baptist, Camborne.

Plenty of parking available. Admission free with donations invited. Refreshments and raffle afterwards. Guest appearance by the ever popular Glee Singers.

Read about Cara Coweth Water HERE

Cara Coweth Water Facebook page HERE

Find St John’s Church, Trevu Road, Camborne HERE

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A Stithians Choir supporting a Stithians Charity…

a Charity which may begin at home but has profound and far reaching results

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Looking forward

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Well, here we are at the dawn of a new year so it’s time to look forward to what the future will bring. The Choir starts rehearsals again on January 7th and we have several concerts booked, a potential trip away and our 50th anniversary to anticipate.

New year, new beginnings and one of the most exciting happenings for us will be the arrival of our new accompanist.

RICO GERBER

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Those who are familiar with choral singing will understand that a huge part of a choir’s success is due to the accompanist. In this respect Stithians Ladies Choir has been very fortunate indeed in recent years. When our wonderful George Smith died in March 2014 we, amazingly, found his replacement right here in Stithians village. Nigel Guzek shared his pianistic talents with us until October 2015 when he relocated to Somerset. Then, luckily for us, our esteemed deputy accompanist, Kathryn Downing, held the fort over the Autumn and Christmas periods.

Rico, originally from South Africa, joins us with an enviable reputation as a pianist, composer, accompanist and conductor, both in Cornwall and further afield. We are really looking forward to spending a rewarding time with him and, once again, we are grateful to the Gods of Music who sent him our way!

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A HAPPY CORNISH NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS!

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A Stithians Tradition

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Fun at Christmas

Photocredit: John Colgate

Many Cornish villages have traditions which the community maintain with a sense of pride and belonging. Stithians has several to do with Christmas, one being a Carol service in the village hall involving three of the village musical institutions – the brass band, the men’s choir and the ladies’ choir. The hall is not huge and the atmosphere is warm and cosy by the time  the audience is shoe-horned in.

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Photocredit: Peter Asplet

The carols of Thomas Merritt feature strongly, together with performances from the band and both choirs. But one Carol features every year because the composer was born in the village. Lewis H  Pascoe wrote a version of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night” probably between 1905 and 1910. He was the organist of Stithians Penmennor Methodist Church from 1903 to 1944 and the first accompanist of St. Stythians Male Choir 1913-26.

Occasions such as this are vital to the continuity of the Cornish choral tradition. Long may it continue!

A MERRY CORNISH CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS

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A Stithians Christmas

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Today, Sunday, we sang at the village carol service ar Stithians Methodist Church. We shared the singing with Stithians Male Voice Choir and a hearty congregation and were enchanted by the village school hand bell ringers. The occasion was made even sweeter by tea and mince pies afterwards!

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It has been exceptionally mild this December and we have been fortunate that our journeys to concerts so far have been blessed by the weather gods – no rain! Fingers crossed for Tuesday when we sing in the village hall.

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