ROSSENDALE REVEALED
THE Rossendale Male Voice Choir was founded in 1924 by the late Fred Tomlinson MBE.
He took a group of local singers and moulded them into one of the country’s finest male voice choirs, winning many competitions and festivals, including the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.
The choir enjoyed long periods with their early conductors. Fred’s son, Ernest, took over from his father in 1976, and in 1981, he handed the baton on to Beatrice Wade.
Beatrice led the choir for the next 24 years until her retirement.
Then Dorothy Stoddard, Dennis Kay and Kate Shipway directed the choir for short periods before Matthew Thomas took over in August 2015.
Each has brought with them their own style and skills, and the choir has benefited from their expertise.
As with all choirs, the members share a love of singing, and music making not only drives them to do their very best in the concert hall or in competition, but also generates strong personal friendships between members and those friendships often extend far beyond the valley. The choir is a great ambassador for Rossendale, performing in concerts and competitions throughout the UK and being twinned with two German choirs; a ladies choir from Monchengladbach and a male voice choir from Bocholt, they often perform abroad.
The Rossendale Male Voice Choir have recently been celebrated as an icon of the Valley and an ambassador by having one of Rosso Bus company’s buses signed and dedicated to the choir. You have an opportunity to hear the choir on Friday, December 15, at St Mary’s Church from 7.30pm, where they will be performing a Christmas Concert in collaboration with the Rossendale Ladies’ Choir.
For further information please check out their website at rossendale malevoicechoir.org.uk