Ernest Jenner

Ernest Albert Frederick Jenner MBE (8 August 1892 – 7 April 1971) was a New Zealand pianist, music teacher and composer.

He was born in Chatham, Kent, England, on 8 August 1892.^[1] He attended Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School in Rochester and was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral in London.^[1] He wished to pursue a musical career but his parents insisted he attend teachers college, Goldsmiths' Training College in London.^[1]

Jenner taught for seven years in Bexley after which he studied music at the Tobias Matthay Pianoforte School.^[1] In 1925 he studied at the Royal Academy of Music, becoming a sub-professor of piano in 1926.^[1] In London he was pianist for theatre orchestras and performed as a soloist.^[1]

In 1928 he emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand, taking up a position of lecturer in music at the Teachers' Training College.^[1][2] The college closed in 1932 as a result of the depression and after which Jenner took up the same position at the Christchurch Teachers' Training College, which had been vacated by Vernon Griffiths. He retired in 1954.^[1]

Jenner continued as a performer, in chamber music and as a concerto pianist. He performed with the National Orchestra in 1954.^[1] He was soloist in performances of John Ireland's Piano Concerto.^[3] He was conductor of several choirs: Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Wellington, Church of St Michael and All Angels, and Liederkränzchen (a women's choir) and, from 1937, the Royal Christchurch Musical Society in Christchurch.^[1][4]

As a composer he wrote piano pieces, songs and cantatas.^[3] He wrote books on music tuition, especially sight-singing, and a church music course for Catholic schools; he was also a broadcaster and music critic for the Christchurch Press.^[1][3]

In the 1962 New Year Honours, Jenner was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to music.^[5] He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1950.^[1][3]

Jenner married Agnes Lavinia Marriott in 1915 and they had five daughters and three sons.^[1]

• Junior sight-singing and songs for schools (1937)
• Senior sight-singing and songs for schools (1937)
• Chants, motets and modal settings : for Catholic schools and choirs. Book I (1937)
• Flower fancies : three miniatures for piano (1944)
• The children's mass and hymn book (1949)
• Country scenes : a little suite of imaginative pieces for piano with percussion band (1949)
• Music for Palm Sunday : restored order : modern settings (1956)
• 20 songs for the school year (1959)

• Songs for children and how to use them : composed for the purpose of building up a picture modulator for use in teaching sight singing from staff notation (1932)
• Songs and lesson material for the school music course : designed for teaching staff sight-singing and musical knowledge through actual music (1933)
• Lesson plans in music appreciation : listening lessons from gramophone records with associated songs and simple rhythmic hand-movements that ensure right hearing (1936)
• A church music course for Catholic schools. Book I (1936) – followed by Book II (1938) and Book III (1939)
• The orchestra and its music (1948)
• Junior music-reading and songs for schools : a course in vocal music (1950)
• Overtures : their origin, history and design : together with the stories of some well-known overtures (1950)

• Photo of Edward Jenner, 1930s, in Alexander Turnbull Library