Margaret Ferguson, known as "Africa's Lady of Song," will be guest soprano at a special fund-raising concert in Truro Methodist Church on Saturday, February 24 (7.30 pm), in aid of this year's Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival.

Margaret, from Ghana, has made various live and recorded programmes for television and radio. She has performed numerous oratorios and concerts across West Africa and has given a solo performance for HRH Prince Edward.

She formed her own choir in Ghana called The Bi-Tonic Singers in 2000. When in Ghana she trains them directly and often performs with them in charitable concerts. The latest was last year with a concert at the British Council, Accra.

The Truro event, with 200 voices in a programme entitled "Male Voice Choir Spectacular," will also include the Truro School Prep Boys Choir - who will be part of the 120-strong Cornish boys choir to feature in the festival proper from May 2-7.

Others taking part in the fund-raising concert, to be compered by festival artistic director Dr Roy Wales, are the City of Truro, Mevagissey and Four Lanes male choirs.

A similar event before the last festival in 2005 raised £1,000. Tickets for this year's fund-raising concert, priced £7, are now available from Trevails County Outfitters in River Street, Truro, tel 01872 273313, Mrs R Ellison, tel 01326 374463, or on the door on the night.

Tickets for the various festival events will go on sale to the general public from March 1 and full details of the entire festival programme are on the festival website link below.

The 2007 festival will be a record-breaker on all fronts, with almost 3,000 singers in 60 choirs from 13 countries, attracting an anticipated aggregate audience of around 30,000 for what has become the biggest festival of its kind in Europe. Forty-two events will be held at 30 venues across Cornwall.