Vance George

Last updated

Vance George (born 1933) is an American choral conductor from Nappanee, Indiana. [1]

A protégé of Margaret Hillis, Vance George served as choral director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for 23 years (1983–2006). [2]

As guest conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, he led performances of Bach's Mass in B Minor, St Matthew Passion, and St John Passion.

Under his leadership, the Chorus won four Grammy Awards, including Best Choral Album (for Brahms' A German Requiem and Orff's Carmina Burana ) and Classical Album of the Year. The SFS Chorus was also nominated for a fifth Grammy (Best Crossover Recording, Christmas by the Bay).

The SFS Chorus won its first Emmy Award under George for the 2001 concert production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (broadcast on KQED).

Vance George graduated from Goshen College and Indiana University, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1997 by Kent State University. In 1999, Chorus America presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted as a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity on April 3, 2008. [3] [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Symphony</span> American symphony orchestra in San Francisco, California, United States

The San Francisco Symphony (SFS), founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley neighborhood. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (1972) are part of the organization. Michael Tilson Thomas became the orchestra's music director in 1995, and concluded his tenure in 2020 when Esa-Pekka Salonen took over the position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Symphony Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra in Chicago, IL

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at the Symphony Center in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenure in 2010. The CSO is one of five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five".

The 5th Annual Grammy Awards were held on May 15, 1963, at Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians for the year 1962. Tony Bennett and Igor Stravinsky each won 3 awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Slatkin</span> American conductor, author and composer (born 1944)

Leonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor, author and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">35th Annual Grammy Awards</span> Award ceremony

The 35th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1993 and recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. The nominations were announced on January 7, 1993. The evening's host was the American stand-up comedian Garry Shandling, who hosted the ceremony for the third time. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Tilson Thomas</span> American conductor, pianist and composer (b1944)

Michael Tilson Thomas is an American conductor, pianist and composer. He is Artistic Director Laureate of the New World Symphony, an American orchestral academy based in Miami Beach, Florida, Music Director Laureate of the San Francisco Symphony, and Conductor Laureate of the London Symphony Orchestra.

The Tanglewood Festival Chorus, directed by James Burton, is a chorus which performs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops in major choral works. The Tanglewood Festival Chorus (TFC) was organized in the spring of 1970, when founding conductor John Oliver became director of vocal and choral activities at the Tanglewood Music Center, the summer home of the BSO. Originally formed for performances at the BSO's summer home at the behest of the BSO's conductor designate Seiji Ozawa, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus is the official chorus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra year-round, performing in Boston, New York and Tanglewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Shaw (conductor)</span> American conductor

Robert Lawson Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. He was known for drawing public attention to choral music through his wide-ranging influence and mentoring of younger conductors, the high standard of his recordings, his support for racial integration in his choruses, and his support for modern music, winning many awards throughout his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Hillis</span>

Margaret Eleanor Hillis was an American conductor. She was the founder and first director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

The Pacific Boychoir was formed in 1998 with 6 boys, and it now includes more than 175 singers from ages 4 to 18. The New York Times said the PBA goes “beyond the reach of most youth choirs” and the Los Angeles Times described the PBA quality of sound and musicianship as “astonishing.”

The San Francisco Symphony Chorus is the resident chorus of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Boys Chorus</span> Boys choir

The San Francisco Boys Chorus (SFBC) is a choir for boys consisting of 230 members based in San Francisco with additional campuses in Oakland, San Mateo, and San Rafael. It is known officially as "San Francisco's Singing Ambassadors to the World".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Halsey</span> English choral conductor

Simon Halsey, CBE is an English choral conductor. He is the chorus director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, a position he has held since 1983, and has been chorus director of the London Symphony Chorus since 2012. He is also artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic Youth Choral Programme and the director of the BBC Proms Youth Choir, and conductor laureate of the Berlin Radio Choir. He is professor and director of choral activities at the University of Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Bruffy</span> American choral conductor

Charles Bruffy is an American choral conductor. He is artistic director of the Kansas City Chorale in Kansas City, Missouri, and is Chorus Director of the Kansas City Symphony. He lives in Kansas City.

Donald Neuen is an American choral conductor, composer, arranger, editor, and educator who was formerly the Distinguished Professor of Conducting and Director of Choral Activities at the University of California, Los Angeles. He conducted the UCLA Chorale while teaching courses in conducting and directing one of the most respected graduate programs in choral conducting in the United States. He was 80 years old when he retired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd Annual Grammy Awards</span> Music awards in the United States

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Nominations announced on December 2, 2009. The show was moved to January to avoid competing against the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast. The remaining awards were given during the un-televised portion of the ceremony which preceded the broadcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masterworks Chorale</span> Choral ensemble based in San Mateo, California

Masterworks Chorale is a choral ensemble based in San Mateo, California.

Ragnar Bohlin is a Swedish conductor born in 1965.

Norbert Balatsch was an Austrian conductor, especially known as a choral conductor, who began as a baritone choir singer. He was the long-term choir director of both the Vienna State Opera and the Bayreuth Festival. Two of his recordings won Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">55th Annual Grammy Awards</span> Event held on February 10, 2013

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the second time by LL Cool J. The "Pre-Telecast Ceremony" was streamed live from LA's Nokia Theater at the official Grammy website. Nominations were announced on December 5, 2012, on prime-time television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! – Countdown to Music's Biggest Night", a one-hour special co-hosted by LL Cool J & Taylor Swift and broadcast live on CBS from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Fun, Frank Ocean, Mumford & Sons, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Dan Auerbach received the most nominations with six each.

References

  1. Vance George Official Website
  2. Joshua Kosman, S.F. Symphony Chorus director to leave at end of '05-06 season, San Francisco Chronicle , August 19, 2004
  3. "Delta Omicron". Archived from the original on 2010-01-27. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
  4. Delta Omicron News April 3, 2008
  5. "NMC Newsletter Summer 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2010-04-05.