About Bournemouth Male Voice Choir
Bournemouth Male Voice Choir are a group of men, from all walks of life with a mutual love of music and a desire to perform songs to the best of our ability. We perform regularly through the year on behalf of charities, for community groups and also at private functions.
We are a diverse group of men, all ages, all abilities – trying very hard to do our best to promote choral singing. We take what we do seriously but never, ever take ourselves too seriously.
BMVC History
The first mention we can find in the local press of Bournemouth Male Voice Choir was in 1919 but we suspect the choir existed even before this. Our best guess is that we pre-date the First World War, so we are well over 100 years old!
It is more than 90 years since our predecessors, the Bournemouth Labour Choir, amalgamated with the Springbourne Male Voice Choir and gathered on the steps of Bournemouth Town Hall for their first performance as Bournemouth Male Voice Choir to sing at a reception held by the Mayor in 1922.
This photograph, courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo, shows Mrs Empson, conductor of the choir possibly following her last performance before handing over to her successor, Matt Dando. The trophy is believed to been won at the Musical Festival at the Town Hall.
Matt Dando was involved in conducting the choir for over 30 years, and during that period we have uncovered various references to the choir being involved and successful in numerous choir competitions.
Following Matt, there were a number of conductors involved with the choir until in 2004 our current Musical Director Mark Burstow took over.
Mark’s tenure as MD has seen the choir modernise and move forward to become amongst the leading exponents of Male Voice Choir singing.
During the fairly recent past highlights have included success at choir competitions in Cheltenham, Bangor and Brighton.
Coupled with that the choir have combined a push for new members via “Learn to Sing” initiatives with fundraising concerts at the Lighthouse Poole at the culmination of the programmes.
In 2019 the choir hosted a Male Voice Choir competition in Poole which culminated in a gala concert involving 400 voices singing together.
An amazing sound which raised an amazing sum of £12,500 for the Bournemouth Hospital Charity.
In all over the last 5 years or so alone we have raised over £100,000 for good causes.
It is not all about the singing though!
We enjoy touring too and during the last few years have visited France a number of times as well as the Cotswolds.
Listen to a Sample of our Music
I Hear Thy Welcome Voice
Taken from the album - One Moment in Time
To listen to the full song click here