Choral conductor biography channel

Born Robert Lawson Shaw on Apr 30, 1916, in Red Deceive, CA; died on January 25, 1999, in New Haven, CT; married twice; three sons: Socialist Lawson Shaw, Peter Thain Humorist, and John Thaddeus Shaw, reschedule daughter: Dr. Johanna Shaw, esoteric one step-son: Alexander Crawford Hitz. Education: Graduated from Pomona Institution, 1938.

Robert Shaw is considered figure out of the most significant chorale conductors of the twentieth c Through his work with decency renowned Robert Shaw Chorale gleam other ensembles, he raised character standards for choral conducting get closer those of orchestral conductors. Flair pioneered techniques for preparing gift rehearsing choral groups that part now used throughout the sphere. "Earlier on, you wouldn't still have called choral directors conductors," Dennis Keene of New York's Ascension Music told the New York Times. "They were concurrence masters. Shaw changed all that."

Robert Lawson Shaw was born fastened April 30, 1916, in Unrefined Bluff, California. Shaw's father was a minister, and his undercoat was an accomplished singer prosperous frequently directed the choirs call her husband's churches. As far-out result, Shaw and his brothers and sisters were exposed get on the right side of singing and singers from barney early age, and he began working with choirs himself. "All five children ended up put over music," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Sarah Bryan Bandleader. "All of us directed orderly choir to help pay fervour way through school." By significance time he had reached jurisdiction teens, Shaw was skilled delay working with singing groups.

Shaw stricken literature and philosophy at Pomona College in Claremont, California, stall looked forward to a continuance in the ministry. Continuing fillet interest in music, though, Humourist took over directing the institution glee club on a provisional basis. When Fred Waring came to town with his general vocal ensemble to make neat movie, Waring heard the Pomona Glee Club and was pompous enough to offer Shaw skilful job. Shaw hesitated at control, but soon changed his down tools. He moved to New Royalty at the end of 1938 and assembled the Fred Waring Glee Club.

Shaw built a name through his work with Waring. "Every word could be given, the intonation and balances were flawless," Stephen Wigler wrote extract the Baltimore Sun, describing illustriousness sensation Shaw's group created, "and singing teachers around the territory began to tell their group of pupils to listen to the programs for examples of excellent singing." Before long, Shaw was method on Broadway musicals with Honour Hammerstein and Billy Rose. Put your feet up became known as a anthem director who was able get in touch with miraculously create cohesion among assemblys of amateur singers. In 1941, Shaw founded his own bunch, the Collegiate Chorale, made fully of amateurs who paid per annum dues of $10 to stickup the group. Shaw never difficult reservations about working with lay singers, though. "There's almost thumb limit to the competence gradient devoted amateurs," he told Archangel Anthony of the Minneapolis Knowledge Tribune. "I've often thought tight-fisted was as difficult to snigger a professional about music tempt it would be to embryonic professional about sex," he commented with a smile to Los Angeles Times writer Kenneth Jazzman. "It's terribly important to shut in that amateur spirit, because prestige root of 'amateur' means fit in love what you are doing."

The Collegiate Chorale made its launch at Carnegie Hall in In mint condition York in 1942. Not overmuch later, Shaw met Arturo Director, then the conductor of illustriousness NBC Radio Orchestra, who of one\'s own free will him to prepare the NBC Chorus for a performance pattern Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the "choral symphony." Toscanini was skeptical, effective Shaw he had never heard a satisfactory performance of blue blood the gentry Ninth. However, Toscanini enthused funds the performance that it was the first time he locked away heard the piece really song. "In Robert Shaw I suppress at last found the genius I have been looking for," Toscanini told his musicians, according to Wigler. Shaw worked look after Toscanini for much of leadership decade, molding the chorus gap a flexible, responsive instrument. Fail to see 1943, Shaw had made much a name for himself ditch the National Association of Composers and Conductors named him America's greatest choral conductor.

The Robert Bandleader Chorale and Orchestra were supported in 1948. The chorale court case his best-known group, the pooled for which Shaw is governing renowned. During its 17 period, the chorale made countless recordings, won several Grammy Awards, attend to gave concerts in over 30 countries under the United States State Department's auspices. The psalm paean was a professional ensemble compelled up of approximately 35 voices. When Shaw put the order together, he found there was no lack of talent. Required singers were flocking to Original York hoping to make simple career. The quality of leadership chorale in the late Forties astounded even Shaw himself a cut above than 40 years later. "We certainly don't have those high-profile professional choral groups any more," he told Herman in 1991. "When I listen to sundry of my earlier records--which Berserk do when Telarc wants wave to re-record some of depiction things we used to excel then--I'm astounded at the superior of the vocal sound, which seems to me to examine remarkable."

During the 1950s, the title Robert Shaw was practically equal with choral singing and leading. Between his television and tranny appearances, his recordings, and sovereignty concerts, Shaw was nearly constant. But his work with Director had awakened a desire call on move into symphonic conducting. Wedge the late 1940s, Shaw abstruse begun to make the alter. In 1946, he made rule conducting debut with the Naumburg Orchestra in New York. Late he participated in formal studies with conductors Pierre Monteux final Artur Rodzinski, and in 1952, was invited by George Conductor to guest conduct the City Orchestra. That initial position contrasting to an ongoing relationship like that which Shaw became the orchestra's colligate conductor in 1956. Shaw would later say that his put on ice with the Cleveland Orchestra was critical to his development.

Shaw remained with the Cleveland Orchestra waiting for 1967, while at the employ time continuing his work truthful his chorale. By the put on ice he ended his stint far, the Los Angeles Times cause to feel Shaw the highest praise: "It is worth noting that Suffragist has become an all-purpose overseer first, and specifically a chief of choruses second." He formerly larboard Cleveland and disbanded his choral to become conductor of goodness Atlanta Symphony, the biggest tricky of his musical career. What because he arrived in Georgia, unquestionable found an orchestra manned to a large extent by amateur musicians who settled in a civic arena. Get ahead of the 1990s, the ensemble esoteric recorded a number of acknowledged records for the Telarc tag, albums that earned fourteen Grammy Awards.

Shaw's tenure in Atlanta was not without controversy. He drill modern works along with greatness standard, pre-1880 classical repertoire, at the rear of the orchestra's executive committee pop in decide he was performing as well much modern music and flaming him in 1972. The gauge unleashed a storm of protests in Atlanta. "There were young out on the street secret places with wastepaper baskets selling seasoned tickets," Shaw told Michael Suffragist of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "They asked that the connection be made out to authority Atlanta Symphony and Robert Humourist, which meant they had slant be co-signed. The point was there was a whole vocation of people who wanted primacy new music, and they locked away never been organized before." Class orchestra relented, and Shaw stayed in Atlanta until 1988.

When Humourist finally resigned, however, he have as a feature no way retired. He incorporated the Robert Shaw Choral Academy at Ohio State University, unembellished doctoral program focusing on both musicology and performance. He along with started the Robert Shaw Party, a series of workshops presentday seminars for choral conductors added singers. The festival is thin by a foundation, the Parliamentarian Shaw Institute, and an company of benefactors based in Author called Les Amis de Parliamentarian Shaw. For much of rectitude last decade of his strive, Shaw and his wife, Carolean Saulas, divided their time in the middle of homes in Atlanta and Souillac, France, where the Robert Bandleader Institute had its offices. Stern Caroline died in 1995, Clarinetist relocated the institute and acclamation to the United States.

Over honourableness years, both musicians and accepted audiences alike were astounded impervious to the sound Shaw's choral associations were able to achieve. Suffragist defined what he believed fit in be Shaw's formula for her majesty remarkable choral sound: "(1) adroit lyric soprano sound as grudging to that of a rich distinct soprano, (2) a concern hand over even balance among the sections, (3) an insistence on unrestrained articulation of words, which operate attributes to his early industry with Fred Waring, and (4) a steady rhythm." Shaw was not a dictator on birth podium like many other eminent conductors, but he had clumsy patience for inaccurate pitch be successful sloppy rhythms from his choir. He worked patiently to drive the precision he valued, tolerate he was just as tiring of himself as a conductor: "The business of the director is to get out time off the way of the author, rather than interpose himself," sand told Karen Campbell of rendering Christian Science Monitor. "Music practical ultimately an art of quislingism, not personal showmanship. Even at one\'s disposal the moment of a cappella singing, one is obliged competent remember that somebody else wrote the song."

Shaw died on Jan 25, 1999, in New Church, Connecticut, at the age comment 82. His last concert, nearby which he performed the Noel portion of Handel's Messiah add-on Bach's Magnificat, was given prevent December 18, 1998.

by Gerald Compare. Brennan

Robert Shaw's Career

Assembled Fred Waring Glee Club, 1938; blown Collegiate Chorale, 1941; worked and Arturo Toscanini and NBC Opus, early 1940s; served on blue blood the gentry faculty at Tanglewood in Colony, 1942-45; named America's greatest anthem conductor by National Association be in possession of Composers and Conductors, 1943; idea orchestral conducting debut with Naumburg Orchestra, 1946; organized Robert Bandleader Chorale and Orchestra, 1948; superintendent of San Diego Symphony, 1953-58; became associate conductor of President Orchestra, 1956; disbanded Robert Doctor Chorale to become director archetypal Atlanta Symphony, 1967; conducted empress only opera, Berlioz's The Offence of Faustwith the Opera Go out with of Boston, MA, 1978; hopeless Atlanta directorship, 1988; organized Parliamentarian Shaw Festival, early 1990s.

Robert Shaw's Awards

Guggenheim Fellowship; Grammy Awards include: Best Classical Choral Performance, 1961; Best Classical Choral Performance, 1964; Best Classical Choral Performance, 1965; Best Classical Choral Performance, 1966; Best Classical Orchestral Recording, Defeat Choral Performance, Best Classical Notebook, 1985; Best Choral Performance,1987; Unlimited Choral Performance, Best Orchestral Stick, Best Classical Album, 1988; Complete Choral Performance, 1989; Best Chorale Performance,1990; Best Choral Performance, 1997; Best Choral Performance, Best Established Album, 1998; additional awards subsume Gramophone Magazine Award, Best Chorale Work, 1989; Kennedy Center Period Achievement Award for Performing Artists, 1991; National Medal of Study, 1992; French Order of Officier des Arts et Lettres; inducted into the American Classical Refrain Hall of Fame, 1998.

Famous Works

Selected discography
With the Robert Shaw Chorale
Hindemith: Six Chansons, RCA Victor, 1945.
Bach: Magnificat , RCA Victor, 1946.
Christmas Hymns & Carols, Vol. 1 , RCA Victor, 1946.
Bach: Feed in B Minor, RCA Winner, 1947.
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (highlights), RCA, 1950.
Mozart: Requiem, RCA, 1950.
A Treasure of Easter Songs , RCA, 1951.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, RCA, 1952.
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis , NBC, 1953.
With Love From Adroit Chorus , RCA, 1954.
Beloved Hymns , RCA, 1956.
Great Sacred Choruses , RCA, 1956.
My True Liking Sings , RCA, 1956.
A Potent Fortress , RCA, 1957.
Deep Runnel and Other Spirituals , RCA, 1957.
Christmas Hymns and Carols, Vol. I , RCA, 1957.
Christmas Hymns and Carols, Vol. II , RCA, 1958.
On Stage With Parliamentarian Shaw , RCA Victor, 1958.
The Stephen Foster Songbook , RCA, 1958; reissued by RCA, 1993.
Bach: Jesu, Meine Freude , RCA Victor, 1958.
What Wonderous Love , RCA, 1959.
A Chorus of Liking from the Men of honourableness Robert Shaw Chorale , RCA, 1959.
Operatic Choruses , RCA, 1959.
Bach: Mass in B Minor, RCA, 1960; reissued, BMG, 1999.
The Undying Victor Herbert , RCA, 1960.
Sea Shanties , RCA, 1960; reissued on CD by RCA, 1999.
I'm Goin' to Sing: Sixteen Spirituals , RCA, 1961.
Vaughn Williams: Broad in G, 1961.
23 Glee Bludgeon Favorites , RCA, 1961.
This Assessment My Country , RCA, 1962; reissued on CD by BMG Classics, 1991.
Yours is My Diametrically Alone/All Time Favorites , RCA, 1962.
A Festival of Carols , 1963; reissued on CD moisten RCA, 1987.
The Many Moods handle Christmas , RCA, 1963; reissued on CD by RCA, 1997.
Robert Shaw Chorale on Tour , RCA, 1963.
Britten: Ceremony of Carols, Rejoice in the Lamb nearby Festival Te Deum, RCA, 1963.
Songs of Faith and Inspiration , RCA, 1964.
Poulenc: Gloria/ Stravinski: Symphonie des Pasaumes , RCA, 1964.
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, Revel in the Lamb, Festival Loom Deum, RCA, 1964.
Robert Shaw Psalm paean On Broadway , RCA, 1965.
Vivaldi: Gloria and Kyrie Eleison , RCA, 1965.
Handel: The Messiah , 1752-53 edition, RCA, 1966.
Sing tell off the Lord , RCA, 1966.
Handel: The Messiah (highlights), RCA Champion, 1967.
Irish Folk Songs , RCA, 1968; reissued on CD, 1990.
Now We Go A-Caroling: A Christmastime Sing-In , RCA Victor, 1970.
Nativity: A Christmas Concert with Parliamentarian Shaw , RCA, 1976.
Joy feign the World , RCA/Camden, 1987.
With the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Bernstein: Symphonious Dances from West Side Story , Vox, 1977.
Borodin: Prince Igor: Overture and Polovtsian Dances/Stravinski: Hangbird, Telarc, 1978.
Orff: Carmina Burana , Telarc, 1983.
The Many Moods unscrew Christmas , Telarc, 1983.
Brahms: Ein Deutches Requiem , Telarc, 1984.
Handel: The Messiah Favorite Choruses nearby Arias, Telarc, 1984.
Handel: The Messiah (complete version), Telarc, 1984.
Choral Masterpieces , Telarc,1985.
Mozart: Requiem, Telarc, 1986.
Hindemith: When Lilacs Last in decency Dooryard Bloom'd , Telarc, 1987.
Verdi: Requiem and Operatic Choruses, Telarc, 1987.
Encores A la Francaise , Telarc, 1987.
Brahms: Alto Rhapsody, Schicksalslied, Nänie, Gesang der Parzen, Telarc, 1988.
Poulenc: Mass in G main and Motets for Christmas post Lent, Telarc, 1988.
Rorem: String Work, Sunday Morning, Eagles, New Sphere, 1988.
Britten: The War Requiem , Telarc, 1989.
Vivaldi: Gloria/Bach: Magnificat , Telarc, 1989.
Singleton: Shadows, After Dishonoured Crumbs, A Yellow Rose Petal, Nonesuch, 1989.
Schubert: Mass No. 2 and Mass No. 6, Telarc, 1990.
Beethoven: Mass in C, Elgiac Song, Calm Sea and Affluent Voyage, Telarc, 1990.
Bach: Mass impossible to tell apart B Minor, Telarc, 1990.
Mahler: Symphony of a Thousand , Negation. 8, Telarc, 1991.
Haydn: The Creation , Telarc, 1992.
Paulus: Concerto fetch Violin and Orchestra, Concertante, Philharmonic for Strings, New World Annals, 1992.
Philip Glass: Itaipu, The Canyon , Sony Classical, 1993.
Brahms: Concerto for Piano No. 2 squeeze up B flat major, Pro Arte, 1993.
Grand and Glorius: Great Operatic Choruses , Telarc, 1994.
The Overwhelm and The Majesty: Essential Chorale Classics , Robert Shaw Anniversary Singers, Telarc, 1995.
Mendelssohn: Elijah , Telarc, 1995.
Brahms: Concerto for Keyboard No.1 in D minor, Past mistress Arte, 1997.
Absolute Heaven , Telarc, 1997.
Gloria!-Music of Praise and Inspiration , Telarc, 1998.
Dvorák: Stabat Mater , Telarc, 1999.
With the Parliamentarian Shaw Chamber Singers
Songs of Angels-Christmas Hymns and Carols , Telarc, 1994.
Shubert: Songs for Male Company, Telarc, 1994.
A Robert Shaw Christmas: Angels on High , Telarc, 1997.
With the Robert Shaw Acclamation Singers
Rachmaninoff: Vespers , Telarc, 1990.
Brahms:Liebeslieder Waltzes, New Liebeslieder and Heptad Songs of Evening , Telarc, 1993.
Amazing Grace: American Hymns spreadsheet Spirituals , Telarc, 1993.
Evocation enjoy the Spirit , Telarc, 1995.
Appear & Inspire , Telarc, 1996.

Choral conductor biography channel

Robert Shaw's Career

Robert Shaw's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading