The annual Cornwall Music Festival returned to Truro Methodist Church last week for its 113th year. The 2025 event attracted more than 400 entries from musicians and spoken word enthusiasts. The opening concert on Monday, March 10 featured some of last year’s winners together with special guests the St Mary’s Singers.

Festival organisers were delighted to report the largest number of musical entries since the pandemic, with choirs, jazz orchestras, wind bands, brass and recorder ensembles from schools from all over the county signing up to participate.

Adult and community groups were also well represented by choirs, brass bands and, for the first time, shanty groups.

Individual entries were also well up on last year for classes in singing, piano, musical theatre, woodwind, strings and the spoken word.

New additions for 2025 included masterclasses in piano and singing, and a Truro Young Musician Award Competition run in association with the Truro Boscawen Rotary Club which offered a generous £100 first prize to Finn Mackenzie-Buller, for the winner of the 15-to-19 age category, while the Cornwall Music Festival funded two £50 prizes for Verity Biddle and Erin Wells, joint winners of the junior section.

The closing concert was an occasion for all those in the audience to sample a taste of the festival week, featuring performances in piano, voice, musical theatre, saxophone and spoken word.

More than 1,100 adults and children performed throughout the week; festival organisers would like to thank them all, as well as the audience members who supported the festival, and sponsors including Truro City Council, Cornwall Music Trust, the Radford Trust, Coodes Solicitors, Truro Boscawen Rotary Club and Truro Lions.

The Festival will return for the week of March 16 to 21, 2026. For further details, visit www.cornwallmusicfestival.co.uk