The History of the Thames Music Group
Photo Image Courtesy of Mike Hawkes
Early in 1977 a decision was made to form the Thames Music Group, and the inaugural meeting was held on Tuesday 8th March 1977 at the home of John and Janet Mullon. Present were Elizabeth Jones, Gerard Pinnock, John and Janet Mullon, Fay Baker, John Rowe and Peter Shaw.
The objectives of the Society were:
To further these aims, musicians from near and far were invited, and over the years have brought a wide variety of music to Thames audiences at a very reasonable cost.
In addition, members of the Group regularly provided choruses for operas staged in the Civic Centre, including Madame Butterfly, Eugene Onegin, and The Barber of Seville. Some of these members continued singing together as Thames Music Group choir, later to become the Thames Chorale.
In the early 1980s concerts were held to raise money to purchase a grand piano for Thames. Further information about the piano can be found on the About St George's page.
Free lunchtime concerts began in September 1984 and became a monthly event the following year, with performances including Jenny Miller (soprano), Ian Williamson (piano), Geoff Core (violin), Con Robertshawe and Hilda Hancock (piano duettists), Joyce Doull (contralto) and Alison Williamson (sporano), Sarah Jane Backhouse, Alice Carline and Joy Haigh.
At the Annual General Meeting in June 1985, Gerard Pinnock resigned as President and Ian Williamson was elected in his place.
In the next few years there were regular major events, with orchestral concerts by the Waikato Secondary Schools Orchestra, The Auckland Youth Orchestra, the Waikato Symphony Orchestra and St. Matthew Chamber Orchestra and the Auckland Sinfonietta, amongst others.
Visiting choirs included the Hamilton Civic Choir, the Auckland Dorian choir, the Orlando Singers, Viva Voce from Auckland and the Auckland Youth Choir. World renowned pianists including Oleg Marchev and Konstantin Scherbakov have played as well as New Zealand performers such as Georgina Zellan Smith, Helen Collier, Alexa Still, Rae de lisle, Tamas Vesmas, Richard Map, Dan Poynton, Eugene Albelescu, Iola Shelley, Cecile McShane and organist John Wells.
Lunchtime concerts featured many local musicians, especially Ian Williamson, together with his wife Alison, John Monro, the Maris Cantores choir and later Joyce Doull's Thames Chorale.
To further the Group's objective of encouraging young students of local teachers, a Young Performers Concert became an annual event, and an enormous amount of talent was discovered.
In recent years, a very rewarding relationship has been formed with the staff and students of the Waikato University School of Music and the staff and students are a regular feature of our concert series.
A further major source of talent has been the Thames High School music department, whose lunchtime concerts have become another annual fixture.
At the Annual General Meeting in 1999, Ian Williamson retired and Paul Ellery was elected President. however, after only a year in office, Paul moved to Hamilton and Sheila Fallas was elected as President in his place at the Annual General Meeting in August 2000.
The office of the Secretary has been filled over the years by Herbert Owen Bell, Joyce Doull, Dianne Williams and Jim Doull.
John Rowe was Treasurer until 1986 and was responsible for the Thames Music Group becoming an incorporated society in 1982.
On June 30th 2002 a very special concert was held to mark the Thames Music Group's 25th Anniversary, and many past members came to help celebrate. A special anniversary cake was cut by founding member Elizabeth Jones and past President Ian Williamson and the President at the time, Sheila Fallas.
The Group members were all greatly saddened in May 2004 by the death of Ian Williamson after a long illness. In an obituary in the Hauraki Herald he was described as "a driving force behind the music in Thames" and he was sadly missed after fifteen years as President. A memorial concert for Ian was held in August 2005 and a gratifying number of local artists who had been associated with Ian during his lifetime were eager to take part. It was a memorable occasion and as a result the Thames Music Group were able to contribute a worthwhile amount to the St George's Building Fund, which would have pleased Ian.
Today, the Thames Music Group continues to be well supported with some very keen committee members. Admission for Friday lunchtime concerts is still free, although donations are always welcome. Admission to the Sunday Series -after many years with out an increase - is now $20 for adults with a reduction for members to $15, students $5 and under 12's are free
Early in 1977 a decision was made to form the Thames Music Group, and the inaugural meeting was held on Tuesday 8th March 1977 at the home of John and Janet Mullon. Present were Elizabeth Jones, Gerard Pinnock, John and Janet Mullon, Fay Baker, John Rowe and Peter Shaw.
The objectives of the Society were:
- to perform and teach music in all its aspects
- to promote, foster and encourage the study, appreciation and performance of music in all its aspects, including that associated with dance, mime and drama.
- to foster interest in the music salon and concert hall, and to encourage the study of music appreciation
- and the techniques of concert organising and presentation.
To further these aims, musicians from near and far were invited, and over the years have brought a wide variety of music to Thames audiences at a very reasonable cost.
In addition, members of the Group regularly provided choruses for operas staged in the Civic Centre, including Madame Butterfly, Eugene Onegin, and The Barber of Seville. Some of these members continued singing together as Thames Music Group choir, later to become the Thames Chorale.
In the early 1980s concerts were held to raise money to purchase a grand piano for Thames. Further information about the piano can be found on the About St George's page.
Free lunchtime concerts began in September 1984 and became a monthly event the following year, with performances including Jenny Miller (soprano), Ian Williamson (piano), Geoff Core (violin), Con Robertshawe and Hilda Hancock (piano duettists), Joyce Doull (contralto) and Alison Williamson (sporano), Sarah Jane Backhouse, Alice Carline and Joy Haigh.
At the Annual General Meeting in June 1985, Gerard Pinnock resigned as President and Ian Williamson was elected in his place.
In the next few years there were regular major events, with orchestral concerts by the Waikato Secondary Schools Orchestra, The Auckland Youth Orchestra, the Waikato Symphony Orchestra and St. Matthew Chamber Orchestra and the Auckland Sinfonietta, amongst others.
Visiting choirs included the Hamilton Civic Choir, the Auckland Dorian choir, the Orlando Singers, Viva Voce from Auckland and the Auckland Youth Choir. World renowned pianists including Oleg Marchev and Konstantin Scherbakov have played as well as New Zealand performers such as Georgina Zellan Smith, Helen Collier, Alexa Still, Rae de lisle, Tamas Vesmas, Richard Map, Dan Poynton, Eugene Albelescu, Iola Shelley, Cecile McShane and organist John Wells.
Lunchtime concerts featured many local musicians, especially Ian Williamson, together with his wife Alison, John Monro, the Maris Cantores choir and later Joyce Doull's Thames Chorale.
To further the Group's objective of encouraging young students of local teachers, a Young Performers Concert became an annual event, and an enormous amount of talent was discovered.
In recent years, a very rewarding relationship has been formed with the staff and students of the Waikato University School of Music and the staff and students are a regular feature of our concert series.
A further major source of talent has been the Thames High School music department, whose lunchtime concerts have become another annual fixture.
At the Annual General Meeting in 1999, Ian Williamson retired and Paul Ellery was elected President. however, after only a year in office, Paul moved to Hamilton and Sheila Fallas was elected as President in his place at the Annual General Meeting in August 2000.
The office of the Secretary has been filled over the years by Herbert Owen Bell, Joyce Doull, Dianne Williams and Jim Doull.
John Rowe was Treasurer until 1986 and was responsible for the Thames Music Group becoming an incorporated society in 1982.
On June 30th 2002 a very special concert was held to mark the Thames Music Group's 25th Anniversary, and many past members came to help celebrate. A special anniversary cake was cut by founding member Elizabeth Jones and past President Ian Williamson and the President at the time, Sheila Fallas.
The Group members were all greatly saddened in May 2004 by the death of Ian Williamson after a long illness. In an obituary in the Hauraki Herald he was described as "a driving force behind the music in Thames" and he was sadly missed after fifteen years as President. A memorial concert for Ian was held in August 2005 and a gratifying number of local artists who had been associated with Ian during his lifetime were eager to take part. It was a memorable occasion and as a result the Thames Music Group were able to contribute a worthwhile amount to the St George's Building Fund, which would have pleased Ian.
Today, the Thames Music Group continues to be well supported with some very keen committee members. Admission for Friday lunchtime concerts is still free, although donations are always welcome. Admission to the Sunday Series -after many years with out an increase - is now $20 for adults with a reduction for members to $15, students $5 and under 12's are free
