On Sunday, April 8 at 2pm, the Wanganui Music Society will hold a special tribute concert for the late Lyn Shackleton who passed away, after a short illness, on January 9 this year.
This concert is to honour Lyn and the contribution she made to music in Whanganui, not onlythrough her role as president of the Music Society, but also as a member of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers (IRMT), NZ Association of Teachers Singing (NEWZATS) and last but not least, her extensive list of singing pupils. Lyn's students have been asked to choose a piece they would like to sing as tribute to her.
Lyn was born in Whanganui (the elder daughter of Jack and Doris McBeth) and attended Wanganui East and Fordell schools. She also attended Lake Pukaki School (Twizel) and Sacred Heart College, Timaru (now Roncalli College), before completing her teacher training at Ardmore Teachers' College. During her teaching career, Lyn taught initially in various capacities in both primary and intermediate schools before becoming a specialist music teacher from which she progressed to head of music at McAuley High School (Otahuhu, Auckland) from 1995 to 2003. After "retiring" (with her husband Ron) to Wanganui, she "kept her hand in" with relief teaching until setting up The Singing Studio.
Lyn studied singing with Sister Mary Leo and Hubert Milverton-Carta, and was winner of the 1964 Rotorua Aria Contest, and runner-up in the John Court Aria Contest in Auckland in 1965. She was twice winner of the Ladies Vocal Championship (Auckland), twice winner of the Ladies Vocal Championship, Rotorua, and winner of the Ladies Vocal Championship (North Shore). Lyn performed over many years in opera, musical plays, oratorio, and recitals.
The concert will take place in St Paul's Worship Centre, Cooks St, Whanganui. All are welcome and are also invited to afternoon tea following the concert. A gold coin donation at the door will help meet costs.
