By Aline Nassif

aline.nassif@essnmedia.co.uk

A musical maestro who touched the lives of hundreds of talented pupils at a Shirley school has died from bowel cancer.

David Squibb, director of music at Trinity School for Boys from 1964 until 2001, lost his battle with the disease on April 21. He was 74.

Tributes poured in for Mr Squibb, who founded the world class Trinity Boys Choir and taught generations of internationally renowned musicians.

Mark Bishop, head teacher at Trinity, said: "For many years David was an outstandingly dedicated and inspirational director of music who did so much to establish and build up the international reputation of the choir.

"Generations of musical boys benefited immeasurably from his expertise and, in many cases, it was their musical experience at Trinity that led them into highly successful careers as professional musicians."

Mr Squibb, of South Park Hill Road, South Croydon, left a strong legacy at the school, which is now thriving under his successor David Swinson. Trinity Boys Choir has recorded soundtracks for films including Santa Claus The Movie and Lord of the Flies, and even a Birds Eye peas advert.

It appears regularly at top music venues and festivals such as Aldeburgh, Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House.

Mr Squibb also formed the Trinity Choristers, made up of boys from various church choirs, who performed regular evensongs at local churches.

David De Warrenne, director of the school's DW trebles-only choir, who was a friend and colleague for 37 years. He said: "David created Trinity Boys Choir from next to nothing.

"By sheer hard work, supreme dedication and total belief in his vision for the choir, he developed it into a formidable, world-renowned choral institution.

"He once said to me, and firmly believed, that 'you only get out of something what you put into it'.

"David had all the right answers about running a choir of that stature, knowing exactly how to get the very best out of the boys, as individuals, as a close-knit dedicated working team, and even as a family.

"He had what it took to transform typical schoolboys into professional musicians in an instant."

Mr Squibb's wife Shirley died in the early 1970s, but he leaves behind three sons, Nicholas, Thomas and Edmund.

His funeral will be held at St Michael and All Angels Church, in West Croydon, at 2.30pm on Friday May 14.