ON SATURDAY, June 26, Valley Voices and Toute Ensemble gave an informal concert with tea and cakes at Week St Mary Parish Hall. This was a real treat of musical entertainment through the ages, in an intimate setting.

The choir and the band alternated performances, starting with early music from Latin America and England, ranging through pop classics, spirituals, to Resorla Snail Creep and the Teddy Bear's Picnic, finishing with Henry VIII's 'Pastime With Company'. The concert and tea raised £126.16 towards the upkeep of the parish hall.

Valley Voices is a new choir, an ensemble of mixed voices with an interesting and varied repertoire, largely unaccompanied, including sacred music, madrigals, part-songs, folksong for choirs, and popular twentieth century song arrangements.

The Valley is the Tamar Valley, where the choir rehearses (at St Mellion Church or Church Hall, near Saltash). The choir has previously performed at Saltash May Fair and Brunel celebrations, at Looe school, and Fowey, St Mellion and Pillaton Churches where they have sung services and given concerts. Future concerts will be at Boconnoc on July 15, and September 19 in Stuart House, Liskeard.

Valley Voices would be pleased to hear from good singers who have a pleasant, musical voice and can sing in tune, can sight-sing (or prove that they can learn fast by other means) and can sing well in an ensemble.

If you would like an audition please e-mail: [email protected]">[email protected].

They do not plan to have regular, weekly rehearsals but rather to spend occasional Saturdays enjoying themselves through singing, building repertoire, working on technique and enjoying each other's company.

Toute Ensemble is a group of ten musicians, playing recorders and windcaps (crumhorns, cornamuses, cortols and shawms) often with cello on the baseline. It was formed 20 years ago and performs throughout Plymouth and South-West Cornwall at fairs, fetes, dances and banquets, especially with Tudor premises, in costume where appropriate, including the annual Mary Newman Salmon Fest in Saltash, and the Camelford Carter Celebrations in 2009.

The repertoire varies from very early music (13th century), through to Renaissance (including famous Playford Dances) to 20th century arrangements. They also cover the australian band 'Deryn Saved a Tortoise' whose single is on i-Tunes. Toute Ensemble will be playing next at Saltash Saltfest.

Anyone who wants to enquire about membership or booking either group can contact 01752 846102.