Tim Hosken has a long and illustrious history in choral music in Cornwall and his roots in St Buryan in west Cornwall meant that he began his musical education early. Tim’s father was the organist of St. Buryan Methodist Church for 47 years and took Tim along to the morning service, afternoon Sunday school and then to the evening service. As a small boy, he grew to love the hymns more than anything else. From the age of three Tim was taken every year to see the Penzance Amateur Operatic Society production and so his musical upbringing was strongly influenced by a wonderful combination of church music and Gilbert & Sullivan.

On leaving school Tim joined St. Buryan Male Voice Choir and after some years became deputy musical director. At about the same time was made deputy MD of Praze Male Voice Choir, conducting them in Paris on a tour with the great Brenda Wootton.

On leaving St. Buryan MVC, Tim formed the St. Just Circuit Choir and was then asked to be Chorus Master of St. Ives Amateur Operatic Society. Just two weeks before opening night the musical director resigned for health reasons and Tim was asked to take over, not imagining that it would carry on for another seven years! During this time he also became the deputy MD of Mousehole Male Voice Choir. Whilst holding these two positions Tim was also asked to ‘help out’ with Penzance Choral Society for three weeks. That was in 1999 and he is still there! On leaving Mousehole MVC he became MD to Marazion Apollo Male Choir, a position he held for nearly ten years.

In 2006 he was asked to help Penzance Amateur Operatic Society out of a tight spot and was duly appointed musical director, a position he holds to this day. Later, in 2013 Tim was asked to support Praze Hayle MVC through the Cornwall International MVC Festival, culminating in his appointment as MD. Later that year Four Lanes Male Choir approached Tim with a view to his becoming a deputy MD and in 2014 he was delighted to take up the position of full musical director. In March this year, under Tim’s leadership, Four Lanes took two top prizes at the Cornwall Music Festival, winning the Choral Championship Edgar Kessell Gold Award in a sing off against three other class-winning choirs; and the Holman Cup for the best male choir over 30 singers.

In 2005 Tim was awarded the Cornwhylan Cross for directing a musical performance that included a religious element. The Cross was presented by the Grand Bard at the 2005 Open Gorseth. In 2008 Tim was made a Cornish Bard in recognition of ‘outstanding achievements and contributions to music in Cornwall’. His Bardic name is Map Ylowek Eglosberyan which means ‘Musical son of St. Buryan’. Four Lanes Male Choir is duly proud to have Tim Hosken as its musical director.