13 Facts About Guy Jansen

Guy Elwyn Jansen was a New Zealand music educator and choral musician.

Guy Jansen studied at Victoria University College, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1960.

Guy Jansen completed a Diploma of Education at Wellington Teachers' College in 1963, and a Master of Arts by research in the history and literature of music at Victoria University of Wellington in 1966, with his master's thesis titled The History of School Music in New Zealand.

Guy Jansen later undertook doctoral studies at the University of Southern California, the first New Zealander to do so, and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in 1984; his thesis was The Aesthetic Realm and Choral Music.

Guy Jansen was a Fellow of Trinity College London, and a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music.

Guy Jansen ran choral courses for secondary school students during the 1960s, and established the regional Choral Festival for Secondary Schools.

In 1979, Guy Jansen established the New Zealand Youth Choir, serving as its musical director, and toured with the choir internationally in 1982.

Guy Jansen was intimately involved in the production of the New Zealand Hymnbook in 1986, and he was the first person to arrange the New Zealand national anthem, "God Defend New Zealand", with both English and Maori lyrics, for the New Zealand Youth Choir's 1982 tour.

Guy Jansen was in the vanguard of the movement to widen the scope of church music, and was noted for the fusion of styles in his arrangements.

Also in 1986, Guy Jansen set up the International Summer Schools in Choral Conducting, which he directed or co-directed in New Zealand and Queensland 14 times until 2011.

Guy Jansen later was choral conductor-in residence at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music in Illinois.

In 1990, Guy Jansen was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.

Later that year, at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Guy Jansen was one of the conductors for choirs singing the national anthems before tournament matches.