Musical Director: Elaine Tangye

Elaine Tangye – Musical Director Elaine joined the choir as accompanist in 1990 and in September 1998 became Musical Director. She is an accomplished musician, playing percussion and clarinet as well as the piano, and was a member of the Cornwall Youth Orchestra. Elaine has an excellent mezzo soprano voice and has sung solo items at choir concerts on a number of occasions. In 1979 Elaine joined the Stithians Ladies Choir as a singing member and 1980 was appointed accompanist and in 1995 became their Musical Director. During this period she was also accompanist for the St Stythians Male Voice Choir.

In 2003 Elaine led the Kernow Male Choir for a tour to Australia and was also invited to be the Musical Director of the Trelawny Male Choir who gave a tour in Singapore and New Zealand in the autumn of 2007.

Elaine was involved in the recording of Cornish choirs performing music commissioned for the opening of the world famous Eden Project. She has also taken part in all 3 British International Male Voice Choral Festival weekends in Cornwall in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

In 2005 Elaine was made a Cornish Bard for her services to music in Cornwall and also received the Services to Music in Cornwall Award for that year. Her Bardic name is Ledyores Curyow, Leader of Choirs.

Accompanist: George Smith

George has enjoyed a lifetime of involvement with music and singing.

Encouraged to play the piano at the tender age of 4, he joined his local church choir at 7 and played the double bass in his school orchestra. As a teenager, George sang with the Royal Covent Garden Opera Company in “La Boheme” and “Carmen” as well as playing principal roles in school productions of Gilbert & Sullivan.

George studied music at Bretton Hall College of Arts (Leeds University). Whilst at College he sang in vocal and choral groups and played the tuba in the band. He also undertook roles in operas and oratorios and accompanied various soloists and ensembles.

Back in Hampshire after graduation George:-
Founded the Basingstoke Junior Orchestra.
Performed in leading roles with the Basingstoke Operatic and Musical Societies.
Took part in two successful piano duet partnerships.
Became a member of the BBC Choral Society.
At the age of 24 became Musical Director of the Basingstoke Male Voice Choir - staying with them for 6 years.
Assisted the Basingstoke Ladies Choir in an emergency and was with them when they visited Cornwall to sing with the Holman Climax MVC.

George liked Cornwall so much he moved down in 1972 and has been actively involved with Cornish music ever since. He continued his career as a Music Teacher in schools in Newquay and was later appointed Advisory Music Teacher for Kerrier and Penwith schools.

George became Musical Director of Holman Climax MVC for some 18 years. He also took on the Musical Director role with Newquay Amateur Operatic Society where he met his eventual wife, Karen. Under his leadership many choirs have entered and been successful in local, national and international festivals. Often singing with the Three Spires Choir, George was also MD and then Accompanist for the County of Cornwall Male Choir. Again under his leadership choirs have appeared on Radio and TV and made recordings and toured extensively in both N. America and Europe.

George has worked with many of Cornwall’s internationally renowned singers and musicians and has sung under many respected conductors including Sir Colin Davis, Brian Kay, John Rutter and Sir David Willcocks.

Finally (as in the case of Basingstoke) Nankersey Male Choir acquired George’s services in an emergency and he has now accompanied the Choir for 8 years. He also accompanies Stithians Ladies Choir.