User:Prunjighandi/Sandbox

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Kingsley McLaren
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Born in Dunedin New Zealand, March 10, 1947. Kingsley McLaren was born to Thomas Davies Charles, (Tom) McLaren, a truck driver, and Doris Elizabeth McLaren, a kitchen and cafeteria worker. Neither parent was particularly musical but both saw the importance of music in their children's lives and thus all three children were afforded Piano and violin lessons.

Until the age of 10, the young Kingsley grew up in the small town of Port Chalmers just outside Dunedin. At age 10 he moved with the family to the Dunedin suburb of Pine Hill. He attended Pine Hill School from August 1957 until December of the same year. From January 1958 until December 1959 Kingsley McLaren attended Dunedin North Intermediate School, then moving to King Edward Technical College.

King Edward Technical College was noted for it's music programs and it was there that The Teenage Kingsley found his love of music blooming. He joined the school orchestra playing the violin and sang in the school Madrigal Group, an ensemble that regularly broadcast over the then NZBC. (New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation). During those years McLaren formed a Barbershop Quartet along with three other members of the Madrigal Group. This ensemble entered and won first place in the Dunedin Competition Society's Annual Competition. This win caused McLaren to take voice more seriously and he began studying with local teacher William Clarke

After leaving High School, McLaren continued playing in the Otago Polytechnic Orchestra, Playing in the First Violin section for productions of Pirates of Penzanze and Trial by Jury as well as a Boy Scout Production, "The Gang Show". During this time his interest in the organ began to grow and he took organ lessons from a local organist, James Kerr. McLaren eventually followed Kerr in two of his posts, Wesley Methodist and Moray Place Congregational Church. As voice became more important, violin diminished and McLaren entered yet another competition, The Claire Spain Memorial Contest" held by the Dunedin Opera Company. In his first venture as a soloist, McLaren won the aria competition and a new path was set.