Two Choirs Concert: 'Coming Home'
Saturday 09 May | 7.00pm | All Saints Church
From the hills and valleys, All Saints are delighted to welcome Mendip Male Voice Choir and Taff Ely Ladies Choir to Weston for a vibrant spring concert titled ‘
Coming Home’. With 100 plus voices filling the space, it’s quite an experience.
Scroll down for more information on the choirs.
Doors open at 6.15pm
Tickets £12.00 (available from 01 March 2026)
Click on this link to purchase your tickets online: Buy tickets now.
You can also call the Church Office to buy tickets on 01225 447663
There are no allocated seats, so arrive early to secure your best seats.
All Saints Church, Church Street, Weston, Bath, BA1 4BT.
Church Car Park on Lynfield Park. Use BA1 4ER for sat nav to the Church Car Park
or use what3words: ///fruit.flows.lush
All Saints Church in Weston is a vibrant and busy church community. The church runs two community centres in addition to the church building itself.
Any profits from this performance will be donated to the All Saints ROCK project, This was extensive refurbishment project on the church building that has led to us being able to host wonderful performances, such as this one, in this building as well as a wide range of other community uses in addition to the regular church services that take place here.
Mendip Male Voice Choir (MMVC) is a 70-strong choir the members of which enjoy the fun, harmony and fraternity generated from singing and performing together in a range of venues.
Originally formed in 1919 as Timsbury Male Voice Choir, it has had only 5 Musical Directors. Performing about 12 concerts a year, the choir has hosted concerts in Bath Abbey and the modern Clifton Cathedral in Bristol, sung at a Glastonbury Extravaganza as a prelude to Katherine Jenkins and taken part in a Festival of Brass & Voices in the Royal Albert Hall. MMVC often sings with other choirs, including taking part in a massed male voice concert in Wells Cathedral, when over £7,000 was raised for Children’s Hospice SW and the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.
For many years there has been a weekend away in towns from Cornwall to Worcestershire. The Covid pandemic put a halt to these tours but the choir restarted them with a trip to Cardiff last September.
In 2023 MMVC set up a ‘20 men needed’ prostate cancer campaign to join the choir for the winter term and sing in the Annual Concert, having been sponsored to do so. Eighteen men took up the challenge most singing in 3-4 of the other concerts. £4,729 was raised for Prostate Cancer Research. Most of the new men have stayed with the choir and others have since joined.
The choir always welcomes new members. If you think you might like to join please talk to any member or visit the website. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings at Midsomer Norton Methodist Church Hall, High Street, BA3 2DR. Come along and have a sing, or just sit and listen before making a decision about joining. Please check the website for concert dates and up-to-date information: www.mendipmen.co.uk
Kate Courage
Musical Director, Kate Courage studied Music and English Literature at Warwick University. She has taught, directed, conducted, composed and written for many choirs, groups and schools, including conducting at the Royal Albert Hall Schools Proms twice, with a massed choir of 500 children performing two of her songs. She worked for Iford Opera as their Education Manager, lectured at universities and colleges, and was Deputy Head of the Bristol Arts and Music Service and Assistant Head of the Wiltshire Music Service.She has been published by Faber Music and BaBa Productions and has her own website (www.katecouragemusic.com) with songs written for choirs.She also has two songs from her musical, 'Pied Piper' on the new Grade 6 Musical Theatre syllabus for the London College of Music.now works freelance as a composer, choral conductor, accompanist and teacher.She is delighted to be back with the men of MMVC again after a eleven-year sojourn into parenthood!
Pianist
Dominic Irving studied composition and piano for four years at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, graduating in 2009 with a 1st-class BMus Honours degree. In 2011, he completed an MA at Bristol University.
From 2012-2019, Dominic was the Musician in Residence at Dauntsey's School, where he taught the A-level composition
syllabus and accompanied countless exams, recitals and recording sessions - all from his trusty iPad!
He continues to be actively involved with choirs and orchestras in the South West, and can occasionally be heard tinkling the ivories with the Pump Room Trio in Bath, playing concertos with local orchestras, or accompanying screenings of classic silent films.
Dominic is a published composer, with his recent work including ‘Hi-Tech Etudes’, a two-volume set of modern piano compositions aimed at young players.
Taff Ely Ladies Choir
The Taff Ely Ladies Choir is a vibrant and welcoming group of women who come together to share their love of singing and community spirit. Established in February 2023 in the heart of Coed Ely, a picturesque village nestled between Llantrisant and Tonyrefail in Wales, our choir provides a place where voices unite, friendships are formed, and music brings joy to all. Our name is deeply rooted in the local landscape, inspired by the Taff and Ely rivers, which flow through the region and meet the sea at Cardiff. Just as these rivers merge, our voices come together to create something truly special.
Under the direction of Musical Director Huw Parkman, with Aled Perry-Hopton at the piano, the choir enjoys singing a wide variety of music – from traditional Welsh songs to lighter popular pieces. While rehearsals and concerts are approached with commitment, there is always plenty of laughter and good humour, which is just as important to the group as the music itself.
Although still a young choir, highlights so far include performing at the 2024 National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd, along with concerts across South Wales and beyond. Future plans include both home and overseas performances, offering new opportunities for music-making and friendship.
For the members, the real heart of the choir is found in the camaraderie, fun, and sense of belonging that comes from raising their voices together. Taff Ely Ladies Choir remains a community at its core – proud to share not just music, but also smiles and laughter, with every audience they meet.
Huw Parkman has been involved in choral music for many years as both accompanist and conductor. He helped establish Taff Ely Ladies Choir in 2023 and continues to guide the group with patience, humour, and a genuine love of music.
Huw has accompanied and directed several choirs across Wales, performing in concerts and festivals including the National Eisteddfod. His relaxed approach and supportive style create a positive atmosphere where singers can grow in confidence and enjoy making music together.
Aled Perry-Hopton has been with Taff Ely Ladies Choir since its formation in 2023, playing a vital role in the choir’s musical development and success. A talented and versatile musician, Aled is not only an accomplished pianist but also a fine singer, bringing a deep understanding of vocal performance to his work.
His musicianship, reliability, and warm rapport with the choir have made him an invaluable part of its journey from the very beginning. Aled’s skill, good humour, and musical insight continue to enrich every rehearsal and performance.