Fairlie man Allan Kerr knows the road to Timaru well.
Each Sunday evening, along with three Fairlie women, the 80-year-old travels to Timaru to rehearse for the Midland Choir concerts.
Known as ‘‘somewhat of a Fairlie icon’’, Mr Kerr has a long history of devoting time to conducting choirs and theatrical productions, as well as taking part in many of them, and has been leading choirs of some description for the past 60 years.
Forever known as ‘‘Smiley’’ to the many pupils he has taught over the years at Mackenzie College, and its predecessor school Fairlie High School, he is acknowledged as having bought the joy of music and singing to many.
The Midland Choir’s annual concert will be held in the Savage Club Hall in Dee St, Timaru, on Saturday at 7.30pm.
Proceeds from the $10 admission and the raffles sold at the door will be donated to South Canterbury Hospice.
The concert will feature items by the top music students from each of the 12 South Canterbury high schools. The Midland Choir will also perform two brackets of songs.
Each of these music students will receive a $500 music bursary to assist with their future studies.
These bursaries will be funded by ‘‘keep the change’’ donations received at the Farmers’ carpark, manned by the South Canterbury Masonic Lodges.
