Tui Uru was a New Zealand opera singer and broadcaster.
14 Facts About Tui Uru
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2.
Tui Uru was the daughter of the Reform Party Member of Parliament for Southern Maori, Henare Whakatau Uru, and his second wife, Gladys Constance Mary Uru, who was Australian from Albury, New South Wales.
3.
Tui Uru's father died in 1929 when she was three years old, and she was educated at Ouruhia School and Christchurch Girls' High School.
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Tui Uru took singing lessons, attaining the award of Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music.
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Tui Uru was the great-aunt of rowers Jade and Storm Uru.
6.
Tui Uru won the Dulcie Starkey Memorial Trophy for the overall winner of the adult ballad competitions.
7.
The judge, Gregory Stroud, described Tui Uru as having "a voice of fine quality" and a "charming personality".
8.
Tui Uru competed in The Sun aria contest in Ballarat in 1953, finishing fourth equal.
9.
In 1955, Tui Uru went to London, where she studied singing with Roy Henderson and Dawson Freer, and funded her studies by working as a telephonist.
10.
Tui Uru performed in a concert at Wigmore Hall and as a soloist at Westminster Central Hall.
11.
In 1964, Tui Uru returned to New Zealand, and was described at that time as a contralto.
12.
Tui Uru applied for a job as a radio announcer with the New Zealand Broadcasting Service in 1945, and was appointed to a position in Christchurch in 1950.
13.
Tui Uru later moved to private radio station Radio Otago 4XO.
14.
Tui Uru died there on 26 April 2013, and was buried at Dunedin Cemetery.