Our History

The present Imerys Mid Cornwall Male Choir was formed in 2008 when the Imerys Engineers’ Male Voice Choir amalgamated with St Austell Male Voice Choir, bringing together two choirs which sprang from the local industry, China Clay production.  The Imerys Engineers’ Choir was one of the last survivors of the more than a dozen works choirs in the China Clay industry which competed annually at the St Austell Music Festival for the prized ‘China Clay Cup’, in which it had triumphed in 12 of the previous 14 years.  St Austell Male Voice Choir for its part was formed by members of the most famous Clay Country choir of all, Treviscoe, winner of the 1956 Llangollen Eisteddfod, which disbanded in the 1990s.  Taking up the baton St Austell MVC had a proud record, winning competitions at music festivals in Wadebridge, Truro and Camborne.

St Austell’s economy relied heavily on China Clay in those days.  It once directly employed some 10,000 people, and indirectly supported many more, so both of the parent choirs were closely linked to the industry. Nowadays mechanisation has greatly reduced employment in the area, and the Choir welcomes new members who have not been part of the industry but who revel in the richness of the tradition and the joy of choral singing.  It looks to expand its performances and engagement with the Clay Country and beyond.  Currently choir members come to our weekly practices and performances from St Ives in the West to St Eval in the North and Fowey in the East.

The Choir has enjoyed much success for its high quality singing and the variety of its concert performances. Exciting projects in recent years have included taking part in the Hall for Cornwall event, and recording a song for the BBC1 programme The Great British Countryside. The Choir also provided the musical setting for the film premiere of Days of Clay shown at the Bell Theatre, Brannel School. Another key memorable event was performing in Kernowyon A Gan (Men of Cornwall Sing) at The Royal Albert Hall, with 1,000 Cornish voices.