A MUSICAL company which aims to keep a late York singer's music alive will stage a concert on Friday to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.

The Royal Light Classical Concert will be performed by the Bev Jones Music Company at the Guildhall, with the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire and York civic party amongst the audience.

All the profits will go to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Charitable Trust, which was very close to Bev's heart, said his widow Lesley.

"He was a great believer in 'theatre for all,' not just the elite, and thought it should be affordable to everyone," she said.

The Press reported earlier this year how Bev, 75, of Copmanthorpe, who died from a heart attack, had been a leading chorister, composer, arranger, teacher and musical director, and had sung in his role as York Minster's head chorister at the Queen's Coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953.

Lesley said yesterday: "I started the Bev Jones Music Company last year in order to try and keep his music alive for the near future and to enable us to stage his own musical, Penny Millionaire which we did. He was able to attend in January in his last ever visit to his favourite theatre, The Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

"The company comprises many of his leading principals from past musical events over the years

"Bev wrote all his own arrangements as well as composed his own. He could sing all the parts himself, sopranos, alto, tenor, bass and baritone, and loved to compose beautiful harmonies for all singers. Singers love singing his arrangements as they favour harmony voices.

"The event on Friday will include a company of 24 harmony singers and a four- piece mini orchestra and will be compered by the effervescent Dougie Weake, formerly of the BBC."

She said Town Crier Terry Ford would proclaim the arrival of The Queen's Party and the Civic Party at The Guildhall in a specially written proclamation in St Helens Square at 7.15pm, prior to the concert's start at 7.30.

"Terry, one of Bev's favourite bass singers, will make a quick change into his DJ after the proclamation so he is ready to sing in the concert and perform many solo highlights throughout the evening."

She said tickets would be available on the door, costing £12, to include a glass of bubbly and nibbles. However, numbers would be limited and people could reserve them by writing online to TheBevJonesMusicCompany on Facebook and leaving their name and number.