The Vocal Art Society, a combined men's and women's choir, was established in 1940. John Emmett was the group's first choirmaster. Their first performance was as part of a concert that also featured the British Music Society and Marie Vandewart (solo cellist), held in the Rosco Tearooms (John Ross and Co. department store), in June 1940. Reviews of this concert appeared in the Manawatū Evening Standard and Manawatū Times, both 24 June 1940.

This photograph is part of the Sargent Family Music Papers. Leita Sargent Sargent (née Sutherland) played the violin in several orchestras and her husband John Sargent sang in many local choirs. Their daughter Jennifer (Jenny), played the flute in the Palmerston North Youth Orchestra. John Sargent was an elder of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and both John and Leita sang in the church choir.