Opera singer Amy Black died suddenly at the age of 36 on 24 November, 2009.

The mezzo-soprano had an international reputation and had performed around the world before undergoing major heart surgery in June.

A family spokesman told the Hull Daily Mail: "Our lives have been left shattered by Amy's death.

"She always told the funniest stories and we will miss her laughter.

"She always put everyone else before herself and was involved in a great deal of charity work.

"We will always remember the smiles and the laughs we had together.

"We want to celebrate her life."

During her career Amy made numerous appearances at the popular Classics in the Park event, held at Brantingham.

She had studied at the Royal Academy of Music and sang for Glyndeboume Opera, English Touring Opera, The European Union Opera, Wexford Festival Opera and English National Opera.

Paul Brereton, concert manager with the Driffield Male Voice Choir in East Yorkshire, said: "She was absolutely wonderful and had sung at such a high level before. It has been absolutely devastating news."

Her last performance was on the evening of Saturday 21 November with the quartet London Theatre Voices as guests of Driffield Male Voice Choir.

Tests earlier in 2009 had revealed that Amy, from Hedon in East Yorkshire, had a bicuspid aortic heart valve, meaning the valve that pumps blood away from the heart has only two holes instead of the usual three.

She couldn't sing for three months after surgery but made a comeback in October with an emotional performance at Toll Gavel Methodist Church in Beverley.