Marking 120 years of male choir

Wanganui Male Choir 1948 for their 50th Jubilee, Wentworth Slater conductor and Peggy Scott as accompanist. PICTURE / SUPPLIED

By OLIVER LANE
Wanganui Male Choir

A milestone has been reached this year, 2018, with Wanganui Male Choir celebrating its 120th year of providing enjoyment for both the choir and the community.
Over time the choir has produced many memorable moments, anecdotes and events of note.

A contributing factor has been the long service given by conductors, choristers, accompanists and office holders.

The Wanganui Male Choir, currently with 23 choristers, was formed in 1898 as the Wanganui Liedertafel Choir and performed its first concert on September 22, 1898.
The inaugural concert was reviewed by the Wanganui Herald, which commented " ... and with further unremitting practice, the Liedertafal will, in the very near future, play an important part in the musical performances in Wanganui". With a Germanic name and the war raging in Europe at that time, the name was changed in 1915 to the Wanganui Male Choir. The November 1918 concert was postponed until March 1919 on account of the flu epidemic.

Normally the choir is accompanied by a pianist and in the early days by a local orchestra. However, in 1948, the 50th Anniversary Concert, the choir was accompanied by the National Orchestra and again two years later in 1950.

Over the years, it has been assisted by many talented artists, with emphasis placed on up and coming young people, some whom have gone on to earn international recognition. Two notables include Dame Sister Mary Leo in 1976 and a young Kiri Te Kanawa, who in 1965, received a fee of £15.

The choir has never been in recess during this time and over the preceding 120 years has performed at least twice a year. It is now the third oldest performing choir within New Zealand. Perhaps the first "out of town" trip was to Marton in 1908. Concerts have since been performed in other parts of the country. In 2011, the Wanganui Male Choir made its first overseas trip to Norfolk Island and last year made its second tour outside New Zealand, giving four performances in Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and Hobart.

In 1984, Syd Hanton was credited with 100 concert performances. Since then Bill Stewart, E Brandon and E Fowler have passed the same milestone. Current chorister Dick Mitchell sits on 122 performances. Two conductors stand out: Wentworth Slater [30 years] and Dixon Tizard [23 years]. Mention must also be made of Muriel Tinker who was the accompanist from 1954 [deputy for three years prior] until 1998 — a total of 90 unbroken concerts and seven conductors!

This concert will be the choir's 120th Jubilee Concert and 272nd performance as the main choir. It will be singing A Wet Sheet and A Flowing Sea, the opening song from the choir's first concert 120 years ago.

Continuing the tradition of supporting young talent, guest artists will be accomplished pianist Ben Power, and three young men — David Dale, Jack Fawthorpe and Joshua Korewha — a guitar trio performing as Guitarsafire.

Concert 2.30pm Sunday, December 9 at Central Baptist Church, 285 Wicksteed St. Door Sales: Adults $20, Students free.