The choir’s own conductors
S. W. Josland, founding conductor; 1933 to mid-
A. R. Jones; a tenor, conducted mid-
Arthur L. Bryant joined the choir in May 1935, and became conductor in 1941, and may have continued to 1948; there were also stints in 1957 and the early 1960s, and he continued to sing in the choir until 1980. He was choirmaster at Saint Hilda’s church for many years, and a photographer at the Wallaceville animal research station. He was also an expert on organs, and worked on rebuilding them. He died in 2007, aged 99.
W. Ralph Dyer conducted from mid 1950s to possibly mid-
Graham White was the son of the Wellinngton Harmonic Society’s H. Temple White; he followed Ralph , to the end of 1956
Cecil Lawson covered until 1960.
Edwin “Tweet” Wilson, a music teacher, founded the Heretaunga College orchestra in 1957. It later became the Upper Hutt Civic Orchestra. The Choral Society joined theorchestras in annual Christmas concerts at Silverstream hospital (where is wife Muriel ran the dispensary?) and Upper Hutt, with Arthur Bryant conducting carols, some of which were composed by Ted.
Roy Kennerley took up the reins from 1960 to mid 1961; then Arthur Bryant filled in..
After a short gap, music teacher John Emeleus may have conducted up to mid-
Audrey Harper, who started as a music teacher at Heretaunga College, became founding senior mistress at Upper Hutt College; she ran choirs at both schools, and conducted the Choral Society from mid 1970 until she travelled overseas early in 1971.
John Hendren’s period covered to the end of 1971 He died young; in his 30s.
Ralph Lilly was a ‘guest conductor’ from 1972 to mid-
Alwyn Palmer was a manager of the National Orchestra, and was appointed in 1974; he served until the end of 1990. His connecctions proved invaluable; the choir was able to join massed choirs for the orchestra’s concerts, and the orchestra’s players, and later the ‘Schola Musica’ training orchestra’s players, were prepared to assist in concerts.
Sue Robinson, a cellist recently returned from overseas, covered 1991-
Peter McClymont, Upper Hutt College’s music teacher, looked after 1994.
Mark Leicester began in 1995, but became conductor of the Festival Singers at the start of 1998.
Thomas Liggett, a second recent music graduate, had joined the choir during Mark’s period, and succeeded him; he resigned in 2001.
Noeline Cuzens answered an appeal at an Orpheus Choir rehearsal, and conducted for seven years, to the end of 2008.
Bevis Marsland, one of our tenors, conducted for 2009 while we tried to find a replacement for Noeline; we gave only two concerts.
Joanne Sims accepted the position in August 2009, but was to marry Marty Roelofs in November; she took over as Joanne Roelofs in 2010.
Outside conductors remembered
Meredith Davies conducted Delius’s Sea Drift with a combined choir.
John Hopkins was the conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; he conducted us in a 1981 Wellington Youth Orchestra Christmas concert, and a Schubert mass antd the Vivaldi Gloria with theWellington Sinfonia in 1979.
Professor Peter Godfrey, after he left the cathedral and the Orpheus Choir, took up Kapiti choirs, with whom Upper Hutt gave several joint concerts.
Michi Inoue is fondly remembered for a joint-
William Southgate was the Youth Orchestra’s conductor; in 1983 he conducted us with them in the Dvorak Te Deum and Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise, and also arranged music and conducted the NZ Symphony Orchestra and a massed choir for the opening of the Michael Fowler Centre.
Michael Vinten was conductor of the NZSO’s Schola Musica training orchestra, and also conducted the first New Zealand performance of Puccini’ Messa di Gloria in joint performances with the South Wairarapa Singers.
Sir David Willcocks was conductor of the London Bach Choir when the Wainuiomata Choir’s founder, railway engineer John Knox was in London and joined them; the friendship was succh that Sir David visited New Zealand several times, and ran choral workshops.