Whanganui Community Choirs farewells musical director Lynn Whiteside

Lynn Whiteside says the Whanganui Community Choir is known as "the fun choir". Photo / Bevan Conley

For 11 years Lynn Whiteside has led what's been known as "the fun choir".

But the Whanganui Community Choirs' upcoming show will be its last with musical director Lynn Whiteside.

Whiteside said she got involved with the choir after first going along with her husband, and had been in charge for the past 11 years.

"It's been a wonderful journey, but I think it's time for someone fresh to take the choir in a new direction," Whiteside said.

"This choir has a massive support base, a great committee, and great section leaders who'll look after and support members who might feel out of their depth and need some help."

The choir has always welcomed "all people, male or female", Whiteside said, with 60 members currently in the ranks.

"We are a social choir, and we're known as 'the fun choir'.

"I think every choir always calls out for a few more males, because there does seem to be a little bit of an imbalance.

"In saying that, I've noticed that men do seem to be becoming a little more interested in singing in choirs, so that's great."

Whiteside, who was made a life member of the choir earlier this year, said one particular highlight of her tenure as musical director was a full production of The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan in 2013.

"A lot of people weren't too keen on it to start with, but we had a night watching it, and that did it.

"Everyone was costumed out, and it ended up being a huge success. After almost a full performance on the first night, word got out and people were rushing around all over the place trying to find chairs on the second night.

"We also did a performance with music from The Pirates of Penzance. That was the year of the floods in Whanganui [2015], and our pianist at the time, Judy Barrett, along with many other people, were trapped on the other side of the river.

"We had to cancel one of the performances, but luckily that was one of the few we did with more than one night."

Having "themed concerts" was always something she tried to do, Whiteside said.

"We had a really good one planned for this year, but then of course Covid-19 hit, so we've modified it a bit for what will be my last concert as musical director.

"I call myself musical director instead of conductor, because there's a bit of teaching and training that goes on as well.

"We've had a lot of people who've always wanted to sing in a choir, but aren't sure whether it's for them.

"I try to work on the basis that everyone is learning to sing, so that involves things like breathing, and posture, and all that sort of thing."

Although she would no longer be leading the choir, Whiteside said she would still be singing as a part of it when she could.

"I'll miss looking at all these wonderful faces singing, I just love that. Now I'll be one of them, looking at the new one [musical director].

"I'll be supporting them 100 per cent."

The Whanganui Community Choir will be performing their Post Lockdown Favourites concert at Central Baptist Church on Wicksteed St on Saturday, November 14.

For more information on the choir, go to
https://www.facebook.com/WanganuiCommunityChoir/