RENOWNED musician Donald Hunt made a final farewell to the city as he planned his own thanksgiving service.

Dr Hunt, who served as master of choristers and organist at Worcester Cathedral for 20 years, detailed the service in the last conversation he had with son Tom before he died aged 88 in August.

Tom, who organised the service, said: “He laid out the whole service from start to finish.

“He also left a file on the computer for me to find.”

More than 500 people attended the service. “It was brilliant. Although dad wrote out what he wanted, I still had to bring it together, but it came together very well.”

READ MORE: Tributes to Donald Hunt OBE

Tom who spent three months organising the service, said. “I can breathe now.”

The service on Saturday at Worcester Cathedral included musicians who had been connected with Dr Hunt throughout his life from his time in Gloucester, Leeds and Worcester.

Five choirs took part, The St Peters Singers from Leeds, The St Cecilia Singers from Gloucester, which Doctor Hunt set up, The Worcester Festival Chorus, and the Elgar Chorale, from Worcester which he also started, and the Worcester Cathedral Choir.

The choirs sang two pieces; the final section from Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, with Alan Fairs singing solo parts, and Adrian Partington, Gloucester Cathedral’s choir master conducting, and The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

The Eulogy was read by a close friend, Doctor Roy Massey, former organist at Hereford Cathedral.

Poems were read by friends Doctor Harcup, and William Carslake, a former choir boy from Dr Hunt’s day, and The Dean of Worcester gave a reading.

Musicians who had been connected with Dr Hunt played solos, Raymond Johnston from Minneapolis, Simon Lindley from Leeds, and Paul Trepte from Ely Cathedral.

Dr James Lancelot, interim director of music at Worcester Cathedral conducted the items sang by the Cathedral Choir.

|During his long association with the city, Dr Hunt also served as artistic director and conductor at the Three Choirs Festival on eight occasions.

He leaves wife Jo, and four children Jacqueline, Tom, Nick and Jane.