Tavistock’s United Reformed Church was filled to the rafters with Christmas music on Friday, December 13 as Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir bade a fond farewell to director of music Rosemary Cole.

Rosemary co-founded the choir in April 2006 with just nine singers and it has grown in numbers and reputation ever since. Several founder members are still singing, while others were in the audience for this special occasion.  

The programme included arrangements and a composition for the choir by Rosemary herself, as well as familiar Christmas music. 

The concert also included a carol for oboe and male voice choir by local oboist Leslie Mazur-Park, who will be taking up the baton in the New Year.

The audience was also treated to lively renditions of popular Christmas songs by the self-styled ‘The Embarrasstones’ – the choir’s baritone section, playing guitar, banjo, washboard and homemade ‘drum’ and ‘bass’.

The whole evening was ably compèred by Ken Topping and Ray Stenning, who kept up a good double act of Christmas cracker jokes between them and encouraged full participation in the traditional carols by the sizeable audience.

Choir president and former BBC Spotlight presenter Justin Leigh gave a fitting tribute to Rosemary, not only as director of TVMVC but also for her wider services to music in the South West over many decades, for which she was awarded the BEM (British Empire Medal) in 2018. 

Rosemary departed with a splendid bouquet from the choir, a gift from former choir members and the good wishes of all for a happy retirement.

Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir returns to practices on Tuesday, January 7 2025 at 7.30pm at Callington Methodist Church. New members are always welcome, car sharing is in operation wherever possible and further details can be obtained with a phone call to secretary Geoff Gunning on 01752 895102, or via the choir’s website: www.tamarvalleymvc.com