Rita Landi is centre of front row in the picture above; the pendant that she and some of the choir members are wearing was a memento of their festival success in Madrid.One singer to receive tuition from Miss Landi at an early age and eventually become professional was Faith Puleston Jones (mezzo-soprano) who studied at Royal Academy of Music and then went to sing opera in Germany and retired recently.
Choir regulars mentioned in 1950s press cuttings include: Mrs Morris Jones, Miss Edith Jones, Mrs M Singleton, Mrs Dorothy Lomas, Mrs Bryn Evans, Maureen Robinson ALCM ATCL, Miss Gwladys Jones, Mrs Katharine Banks and Mrs D W Jones (chairman
of the choir).
Miss Landi retired in 1963 and nearly 70 past and present members of the choir turned up at a farewell dinner. She went to live in Sussex and made one or two return visits to the Rhyl district.
George Owen recalls the children's choir taking part in a recording at Gwrych Castle and the music being on the soundtrack of a film about champion boxer Randolph Turpin who was training there with sparring partners such as Derek Weale from Rhyl. Does anyone else remember the film?
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