Dale Warland
Encyclopedia
Dale Warland is an American conductor, composer, founder of the Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers
, scholar, teacher, choral consultant, and renowned champion of contemporary choral composers.
in Northfield, Minnesota
, Warland began rehearsing and performing with choirs. After graduating, he spent two years in the U.S. Air Force where he started a choir of servicemen. The choir was invited to perform for then-Vice President Richard Nixon
.
After the Air Force, he completed his Master of Arts degree in theory and composition at the University of Minnesota
in 1960 and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting at the University of Southern California in 1965.
A brief tenure as director of choral music at Humboldt State College followed, leading to an appointment as professor of music and director of choral activities at Macalester College
, where he remained until 1985.
In 1972, he formed the Dale Warland Singers
. The group quickly gained an international reputation for their flawless performance of choral works by contemporary composers, and, with Warland leading the way, the DWS organization would become renowned for its support of living composers. Under his direction, the DWS made influential and award-winning recordings, toured internationally, were guest-conducted by choral greats, and won several prestigious awards. The group disbanded in 2004 after 32 years.
Warland continues to function as a choral composer, editor of choral publications, consultant to publishing companies, scholar, teacher, and guest conductor.
, Warland was asked by the Walker Art Center
(in Minneapolis) to form a choir for a special project. This group of 40 singers became the Dale Warland Singers
. Under his direction, the Singers toured Europe and were awarded the ASCAP Margaret Hillis Achievement Award, ASCAP awards for Adventurous Programming (1992, 1993, 1996 and 1999), the ASCAP Victor Herbert Award (2003), the Distinguished Master Artists Award (University of South Florida (2004)), the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Vision (2003), and many others. Their 2003 CD, "Walden Pond" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance. Over the years, the Singers became known for exceptional blend, intonation, attacks, and uniformity of sound.
to write an a capella piece for their 2008 European summer tour. Benedicamus Domino for SSATBB, was premiered at the Utah Chamber Artists
' Winter Concert on March 3, 2008. With Warland in attendance, the Utah Chamber Artists performed the piece at St Bride's Church
in London and the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington on June 17, 2008, and at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on June 18, 2008. Warland has guest conducted several prominent choral ensembles since his retirement from the DWS, including Opus 7 and Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble.
Dale Warland Singers
The Dale Warland Singers was a 40-person choral group in the United States, based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1972 and conducted by Dale Warland, the ensemble tackled a repertoire of difficult, complex, and beautiful polyphonic works for both a cappella...
, scholar, teacher, choral consultant, and renowned champion of contemporary choral composers.
Professional Biography (In Brief)
While enrolled at St. Olaf CollegeSt. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
, Warland began rehearsing and performing with choirs. After graduating, he spent two years in the U.S. Air Force where he started a choir of servicemen. The choir was invited to perform for then-Vice President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
After the Air Force, he completed his Master of Arts degree in theory and composition at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1960 and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting at the University of Southern California in 1965.
A brief tenure as director of choral music at Humboldt State College followed, leading to an appointment as professor of music and director of choral activities at Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
, where he remained until 1985.
In 1972, he formed the Dale Warland Singers
Dale Warland Singers
The Dale Warland Singers was a 40-person choral group in the United States, based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1972 and conducted by Dale Warland, the ensemble tackled a repertoire of difficult, complex, and beautiful polyphonic works for both a cappella...
. The group quickly gained an international reputation for their flawless performance of choral works by contemporary composers, and, with Warland leading the way, the DWS organization would become renowned for its support of living composers. Under his direction, the DWS made influential and award-winning recordings, toured internationally, were guest-conducted by choral greats, and won several prestigious awards. The group disbanded in 2004 after 32 years.
Warland continues to function as a choral composer, editor of choral publications, consultant to publishing companies, scholar, teacher, and guest conductor.
The Dale Warland Singers
In 1972, while on the faculty at Macalester CollegeMacalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
, Warland was asked by the Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn...
(in Minneapolis) to form a choir for a special project. This group of 40 singers became the Dale Warland Singers
Dale Warland Singers
The Dale Warland Singers was a 40-person choral group in the United States, based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1972 and conducted by Dale Warland, the ensemble tackled a repertoire of difficult, complex, and beautiful polyphonic works for both a cappella...
. Under his direction, the Singers toured Europe and were awarded the ASCAP Margaret Hillis Achievement Award, ASCAP awards for Adventurous Programming (1992, 1993, 1996 and 1999), the ASCAP Victor Herbert Award (2003), the Distinguished Master Artists Award (University of South Florida (2004)), the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Vision (2003), and many others. Their 2003 CD, "Walden Pond" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance. Over the years, the Singers became known for exceptional blend, intonation, attacks, and uniformity of sound.
After the Dale Warland Singers
Warland disbanded the DWS in 2004, in part to pursue more teaching and composing opportunities. The Dale Warland Singers Choral Score Library was purchased by University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (a/k/a Cincinnati Conservatory, a/k/a CCM), which serves as custodian of those scores. The papers of the DWS organization also are housed and managed by CCM. Warland continues working with young students and directors through the Choirs of Note. In 2007 he was commissioned by the Utah Chamber ArtistsUtah Chamber Artists
The Utah Chamber Artists, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was established in 1991 by Music Director Barlow Bradford. The ensemble consists of forty singers and forty players who together create a balance and sonority rarely found in a combined choir and orchestra...
to write an a capella piece for their 2008 European summer tour. Benedicamus Domino for SSATBB, was premiered at the Utah Chamber Artists
Utah Chamber Artists
The Utah Chamber Artists, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was established in 1991 by Music Director Barlow Bradford. The ensemble consists of forty singers and forty players who together create a balance and sonority rarely found in a combined choir and orchestra...
' Winter Concert on March 3, 2008. With Warland in attendance, the Utah Chamber Artists performed the piece at St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
in London and the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington on June 17, 2008, and at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on June 18, 2008. Warland has guest conducted several prominent choral ensembles since his retirement from the DWS, including Opus 7 and Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble.
Compositions and Arrangements
Warland has composed and arranged works for choir over the decades. Most are published in his choral series (see below), but others are not "housed" in a series.Choral Series
The Dale Warland Choral Series is a collection of choral scores selected for publication by Warland. Over the years, the series has been published by several companies (Earthsongs, G. Schirmer, Walton, Plymouth, and Colla Voce, and may be thought of as several separate series all with the same name (the series with G. Schirmer is actually titled "The Dale Warland Schirmer Choral Series"). Works included in the series are listed here alphabetically by title; since choral scores continue to be published, this list will become outdated with each batch of new releases.- Aprile/April (Carol Barnett) - pub. Colla Voce
- Ave Maria (Cary Boyce) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Beautiful River (arr. William Hawley) — pub. Colla Voce
- By And By (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- Calm on the Listening Ear of Night (Kenneth JenningsKenneth JenningsKenneth Jennings is the Harry R. and Thora Helseth Tosdal Professor Emeritus of Music and Director Emeritus of the St. Olaf Choir. He is a published arranger, composer, and choral music educator.-Biography:...
) - pub. Walton - Cançao de Embalar (Janika VanderveldeJanika VanderveldeJanika Vandervelde is an American composer, pianist, and music educator.-Biography:Janika Vandervelde was born in Ripon, Wisconsin, and grew up in nearby Green Lake, playing horn and piano. She began composing in her teens...
) - pub. Earthsongs - Catalonian Carol (arr. Dale Warland) — pub. Colla Voce
- Cedit, Hyems (Abbie B. Betinis) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Cindy (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- December Stillness (Paul Fetler) - pub. Walton
- Deep River (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- El Rorro (arr. Jeffery Van) — pub. Colla Voce
- The Friendly Beasts (arr. Jeffrey Van) - pub. Colla Voce
- Hard Times Come Again No More (arr. Mark Keller) — pub. Colla Voce
- Hark The Herald Angels Sing (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Colla Voce
- Hodie (Carol Barnett) - pub. Walton
- Huron Carol (arr. Dale Warland) - pub. Colla Voce
- McKay (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Earthsongs
- Miserere (Rudi TasRudi TasRudi Tas is a Flemish composer of choral music, a conductor and an organist.He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and Ghent.-Style:...
) - pub. G. Schirmer - My Soul's Been Anchored In The Lord (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Colla Voce
- Ninety-Third Psalm (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Earthsongs
- Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten (William Hawley) - pub. Colla Voce
- O Little Town Of Bethlehem (arr. Dale Warland) - pub. Colla Voce
- O Viridissima Virga (Janika VanderveldeJanika VanderveldeJanika Vandervelde is an American composer, pianist, and music educator.-Biography:Janika Vandervelde was born in Ripon, Wisconsin, and grew up in nearby Green Lake, playing horn and piano. She began composing in her teens...
) - pub. Earthsongs ***N.B. Not technically part of the DWCS, this was commissioned and premiered by the Dale Warland Singers, and is published by Earthsongs - Oh, Shenandoah (arr. Alf Houkom) — pub. Colla Voce
- Prayer of the Middle Ages (Howard Hanson) - pub. Earthsongs
- Pretty Saro (arr. Mark Keller) - pub. Colla Voce
- Red River Valley (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- River Snow (Zhang Ying) - pub. Walton
- Requiescat (Eric William Barnum) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Rockin' Jerusalem (arr. Robert L. Morris) - pub. Walton
- Shalom Chaverim (Kenneth Hodgson) — pub. Colla Voce
- She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain (arr. Emma Lou Diemer) - pub. Colla Voce
- Simple Gifts (arr. Dale Warland) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Snow (The King's Trumpeter) (John Muelheisen) - pub. Colla Voce
- So Gracious Is The Time (William Beckstrand) - pub. Colla Voce
- So Thin a Veil (Dale Warland) - pub. G. Schirmer
- A Somerset Carol (arr. Dale Warland) - pub. G. Schirmer
- A Spotless Rose (Ralph R. Prime) - pub. Colla Voce
- Steal Away (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (arr. Carol Barnett) — pub. Colla Voce
- There Will Be Rest (Dale Warland) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Two Motets (William Hawley) - pub. Walton
- Water Night (Eric WhitacreEric WhitacreEric Whitacre is an American composer, conductor and lecturer. He is one of the most popular and performed composers of his generation. In 2008, the all-Whitacre choral CD Cloudburst became an international best-seller, topping the classical charts and earning a Grammy nomination...
) - pub. Walton - Webster (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Earthsongs
- Wexford Carol (arr. Dale Warland) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Without Words (Huang Ruo) - pub. G. Schirmer
- Wonder Where (arr. Carol Barnett) - pub. Colla Voce