Whanganui choir and guests pay tribute to founder Teiron Jones

Wanganui Community Choir founder Teiron Jones will be celebrated with a concert at on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

The Wanganui Community Choir's mid-year concert on Saturday will be a celebration of the choir's founder, Teiron Jones, who died suddenly last year.

The Singing You a Song concert at the Central Baptist Church will feature a programme of Jones' favourites from a selection of spirituals, African music, sacred, classical, Māori and show tunes.

Jones, who was in his early 60s, drowned in a boating accident near Waitara Bar in November last year and is sadly missed by the Whanganui musical community.

The multi-talented Welshman came to Wanganui from Zambia in 1991 to teach at Whanganui High School and formed The Wanganui Youth and Community Choir.

He was a conductor and founder of many choirs around the world, a professional opera, oratorio and concert singer as well as a composer, instrumentalist and author of guidebook The Easy Way To Successful Sight Singing.

The programme will include a performance by guest artist Winifred Livesay who started studying voice in her late teens then went to America to continue studying at two music schools in Oregon and New Jersey.

She has worked as a soloist in opera, light opera, oratorio and as a chamber music recitalist back in New Zealand.

A Brass Whanganui Ensemble featuring Central Districts solo competition winner Jonathon Greenwell will play and Aydie Holland of Metamorphosis, One Trick Pony and The Wanganui Ukulele Orchestra will bring a new feel to old jazz standards.

Singing You a Song: Saturdayat 2pm, Whanganui Central Baptist Church, Wicksteed St. Tickets are available at Visitor Information Centre i-Site Whanganui, 31 Taupo Quay. Adults $20, students $10, seniors $15, children under-12 free. Door sales available.