WHY ARE MEN ARE SINGING SINGING?

MEN ARE SINGING is a Cornish, all-inclusive, cross-generational male voice choir. 

I like singing. I like hanging out with other humans. A choir seems to me, to be the best amalgamation of the two. 

Cornwall has a deep tradition of ladies voice and male voice choirs. They were omnipresent during my childhood; seemingly at every community event I attended, with their matching blazers, shiny shoes, crap keyboards, and (growingly abstract) reference to Cornwall’s staunch, ancient Methodist past. To me, they were not cool. 

But as an adult, I’ve developed a soft spot for these relics of human activity. Throughout my career as a theatre musician I’ve come to realise that singing really can make you feel better. It’s an equal meeting place, where friends, family or a whole community can come together and do something that’s creative, constructive and in unison. An increasingly rare thing at the moment. It has an unexplainable and undeniable power to make people feel good.

 However my only problem with said choirs was; the material of which they sing. It’s usually about fishermen, miners, God or extracts from Andrew Lloyd Webber productions. No thank you, as a young Cornish man, I find it hard to relate to any of the above.  

 So that’s why I decided to start MEN ARE SINGING. 

 Simply to engage men (generally younger, as admittedly most male voice choirs are silver haired) in a non-competitive (sports), non-alcohol related (most things) activity, which has creative, constructive and positive benefits. And, to sing some more unusual songs which you might not expect from a male voice choir.

My job is to arrange and conduct some of my favourite songs for 35 voices. The men however, make it actually sound good.

Seamas Carey - Choir Leader and Bloke -2019