THE musical director and founder of St John Singers is preparing for his last concert at the helm after more than 40 years.

John Powell who was a head chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, started the choir in 1975 when he moved to live in Bishopstone, transforming the group of singers who regularly sang during Easter and Christmas services into a popular and well-respected choir.

Over the years he has conducted 300 concerts — including 2,000 rehearsals - raising around £250k for a total of 200 different charities.

“My hobby has always been choral music,” he said. “When I started the choir I had no idea it would develop into what it has with some major performances in various places.”

St John Singers has toured in Germany, France, Belgium and Italy while for 25 years its main event was the Wassail Party which it performed to sell out audiences at the City Hall.

It has also performed in St Paul’s Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral.

Members of the 50-strong choir now come from a 20-mile radius.

“Our premier performances take place at Salisbury Cathedral and included the European premiere of John Rutter’s Requiem in 1986,” Mr Powell said.

“Taking a choir to Berlin in 1989, the year the Wall came down, was also an unrepeatable highlight. We were there singing with the Berlin Philharmonic Choir in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall with a choir from Israel and Poland in an act of reconciliation. It was fantastic.”

Apart from the St John Singers, Mr Powell also sings with the Salisbury Musical Society, is regularly invited to sing with the Cathedral Choir, and frequently plays the organ in local churches.

He is a Steward Emeritus in the cathedral and, until, quite recently, was their head concert steward. He was also chairman of music in Salisbury coordinating all the musical events in the city for 25 years.

Mr Powell’s final concert is on Saturday, July 2 at 7.30pm at St Martin’s Church in Salisbury.

The centrepiece will be John Rutter’s Requiem — in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the UK performance - with treble solos by cathedral chorister William Briggs.

The programme also includes music by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Stanford and Wesley, as well as present day composers Bob Chilcott and David Halls, and the compere is Robert Key, Salisbury’s former MP.

Tickets from Music Room in Catherine Street, by calling 01722 328181, or at the door and the price includes a glass of wine during the interval.

The charity is in aid of the Cathedral’s Choral Foundation, which allows talented children to join the Cathedral Choir by making contributions to their education.

* Ian Wicks will be stepping into the role of musical director with a committee taking on the administration duties.