Conductor Michael Crabb took his final bow after spending 25 years nurturing musical talent in Southend.
He conducted the Southend Festival Chorus and Southend Festival Orchestra as they presented Mozart's Requiem and Haydn's Imperial "Nelson's Mass" at Crowstone St George's United Reformed Church in Westcliff.
Southend mayor, Gwen Horrigan attended the concert, which was Mr Crabb's final performance after 25 years as musical director at Southend Council.
Mr Crabb, 70, was also chief arts officer at the council enabling the Southend Boys' Choir to have a permanent professional director - unique in this country.
Mr Crabb said: "The concert was wonderful and everything we expected it to be. It was lovely to remember the final performance as being so good and the audience were very nice.
"I will remember it for a long time. A recording was made of the concert so I have that to remember it as well."
The musician will continue to play a background role with the choir and with his work at two churches including St Mary's Church, Shoebury, where he is organist and choirmaster.
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