The History of Loughborough Male Voice Choir
A Short History
T
he Loughborough Male Voice Choir was formed in 1967 under the direction of George Towers,
and since that time has grown to become the official male voice choir of the town.
It has a long and successful history of singing and performing throughout this time.
Although a relatively small choir it annually performs concerts across the county of Leicestershire.
The choir has a large repertoire ranging from hymns, sacred music, songs from the shows,
through to modern pieces by Lloyd-Weber and the Beatles, and welcomes invitations to sing at concerts,
social events, weddings and funerals.
The choir has had many notable events including singing at the
Midlands Music Festivals, and on three occasions has appeared at the Royal Albert Hall as part of a 1,000
English Male Voice Choir.
During the last decade the choir has performed in Germany and Belgium and in 1999 won the Jason Shield
and the Leicester Recording Company Trophy at the Leicester Festival of Music.
Tribute to George Towers (1914 - 2008)
A
s a 14-year-old, George went to see his mother Matilda in a performance of The St Matthew Passion
which he said counted as one of the major influences in his musical career, and soon after earned his first professional
fee, as a fourteen year old boy, by accompanying John Sidwell of the Leicester Bach Choir, at a major religious rally,
earning the princely sum of 10 shillings.
As a professional lithographic artist, George spent the war years at Wynnstay Hall, Ruabon, near Oswestry, helping
to train people to draw maps for the forces. Keen to maintain high morale, the War Office ensured such units always
had entertainment, and George helped to supply it - none more so than on VE Day when he regaled his colleagues with
renditions of Roll Out The Barrel on the organ in the main training room.
In 1938 he was invited by Wills and Hepworth, the Loughborough printer who eventually became Ladybird Books, to join
them as a lithographic artist where he stayed until 1979.
1949 saw George appointed as organist and choirmaster at Loughborough Baptist Church, a post that he held for 54 years.
With the support of ministers of the time, but especially that of Rev Ron Thomson, and George's wife Dorothy, many musical
activities enlivened the social life of the Church including choirs and theatrical groups for whom libretti and music were
especially composed. In addition to the Loughborough Male Voice Choir being formed by George in 1967, his wife Dorothy
also formed the Loughborough Ladies Choir in the early sixties.
It would be impossible to list all the achievements and accolades from the world of music that was so much a part of
George's life, but that he was involved in playing the organ, accompanying singers, composing and conducting is to name
but a few. Up until his death, George played a very active part within the Loughborough Male Voice Choir as both
president and accompanist at practice sessions and concerts alike.
George passed away on Friday 3rd October 2008 aged 94 years, and will not only be greatly missed by his family and
friends but also by the members of our choir which he left as a wonderful legacy to the people of Loughborough, and beyond.
