A tenor who joined one of Bermuda's top choirs on the understanding that he would never have to sing solos has nevertheless found himself in the musical limelight.

Mr. Eugene Raynor has recently taken over from Mrs. Ann Brown as Chairman of the Geoffrey Tankard Memorial Foundation, whose choir has earned critical acclaim while raising money for arts scholarships.

He says it was "bad enough'' having to audition for a place in the choir where he sings in the tenor section.

"I was a work colleague of Ann's husband, Norman Brown and I happened to mention that I had been to several of the Geoffrey Tankard Choir concerts. He asked me if I would be interested in singing and the next thing I knew, I was at their house, auditioning for a place.'' Mr. Raynor recalls that after he had "sweated'' his way through scales and sight-reading, Ann Brown merely handed him a pile of music and said, "See you next week.'' Although he admits he has since become a voice pupil of Barbara Garton at the Dunbarton School of Music, Mr. Raynor insists this is merely to learn musicianship. He also says that in spite of auditions being something of an ordeal, it does help to ensure the high standards for which the choir is famous.

"It's not a large choir, but I think it has a very good balance.'' Recently, they have endeavoured to extend their repertoire and, in addition to two projected church concerts next month, they will also be presenting a light-hearted concert of "Drinking Songs'' at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.

"There is plenty of scope,'' he laughs, explaining that it is surprising how many songs, ranging from madrigals and rounds to operettas, have a drinking theme.

"We shall also be including some Graces, that were composed by our conductor, Graham Garton, while he taught at a girls' boarding school in England. He wrote more than 200 of them.'' The Geoffrey Tankard Choir joined the international music scene when it became the smallest (and therefore, one of the most conspicuous) group to participate, along with thousands from all over the world, in the 42nd Royal International Eisteddfod in Wales. With the men dressed in Bermuda shorts and the women in long white skirts that bore a Bermuda hibiscus emblem, they caused, says Mr. Raynor, "quite a stir''.

During Mr. Raynor's chairmanship, much of his time will be devoted to maintaining and developing the Scholarship Fund.

"We donate about $6,000 a year in scholarship money and this year, we're listed for the first time in the Bank of Butterfield's annual scholarship booklet.'' Noting that the late Prof. Tankard, who taught at the Royal College of Music before settling in Bermuda, had an enormous influence on all the arts here, Mr. Raynor emphasises that the Tankard scholarship is not restricted to music.

Foundation chairman From Page 17 "Besides conducting the Bermuda Philharmonic Society orchestra and chorus, Prof. Tankard also founded the Shakespeare Circle, the Shaw-Ibsen Group, the Philosophical Society and the Gramaphone Society. His interests went right across the board, so we would encourage any arts student to apply for our scholarship,'' he says.

Last September, the Foundation awarded scholarships to five students: Kenneth Amis, who is in his final year at the New England Conservatory, Marcelle Clamens, majoring in voice at Cincinnati Music School, Wallace Lee, who is studying for a degree in music at Alabama University, Paul Woolgar, a voice student of Barbara Garton and Brittany Wivell, an arts student at Wellesley College in Boston.

The Geoffrey Tankard Choir will sing two Choral Evensongs in the traditional collegiate/cathedral style, at Holy Trinity Church, Hamilton Parish, on Sunday, May 2 and at St. Mary's Church, Warwick, on Sunday May 16. Both services commence at 7 p.m.

The Concert of Drinking Songs will take place at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club on Sunday, May 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets at $15 are available from Meyer Agencies, Opus 1 on Reid Street, the Dinghy Club, or from choir members.

Mr. Raynor says that in order to maintain the arts scholarships on an ongoing basis, the Geoffrey Tankard Foundation is always looking for new choir members.

"We are also grateful for the support of our Patrons and Sponsors who make it possible to give financial support to deserving students.'' And anyone interested in becoming a Patron or Sponsor is asked to write to the Foundation at Box HM 1420, Hamilton HM FX.

Mr. Eugene Raynor.