Frank Pooler
Encyclopedia
Frank Pooler is an award-winning American choir
master, and former Director of Choral Studies at California State University, Long Beach
.
In the mid-1970s, he also taught summer school in Saratoga Springs, New York, at Skidmore College. He gave graduate level classes as part of the State University of New York (Potsdam) "Saratoga Potsdam Choral Institute" (SPCI), directed by Brock MacElheran.
Recipient of the Sunni Award (Australia's Grammy) for production on the album, "SCAT!"
He is co-author of three books, "The New Choral Notation, " "Sound and Symbol," and "Choralography - an Experience in Sound and Movement. " The "Frank Pooler Editions," and the "Frank Pooler Library of Significant Works," feature works by leading composers of the United States, Australia, Scandinavia, and Argentina.
. He attended St. Olaf College
in Northfield, Minnesota
, and earned a Bachelor's degree there. While there, he acquired a love for choral music while singing under Olaf Christiansen, son of the noted choral director, F. Melius Christiansen
. He worked for a year after that as the music director at the First Baptist Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota
, before going to the University of Iowa, where he earned a Masters Degree. From there, he worked for several years at Shimer College
, then in Mount Carrol, Illinois. He often said that those years at Shimer were among the happiest and most productive of his life. From there, he went to a brief stint at New Trier High School in Chicago. It was there, in the middle of winter 1959, that he received a phone call from a former University of Iowa colleague, asking if he wanted to come to California to work at Long Beach State University. Frank's answer was "what's the temperature there?" He would go on to teach at CSULB for 28 years, before retiring in 1988. He earned the St. Olaf Medal from the King of Norway in 1984 for distinguished contributions to Norwegian music in the United States.
accompanied Pooler's University Choir at California State University, Long Beach
. Several years later, Karen Carpenter
also joined the choir and recorded "Goodnight," "Crescent Noon," and "And When I Die" with the choir in 1969. Karen's parents hired Frank to give Karen music lessons
Richard Carpenter later composed the music to "Merry Christmas Darling
," a lyric Pooler had written when he was 18. Karen later said,
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
master, and former Director of Choral Studies at California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
.
Professional career
Known in both academic and professional music circles for his mastery of contemporary choral repertoire, Pooler has served as a guest conductor, clinician, lecturer and adjudicator throughout the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hawaii and Alaska. His published compositions, arrangements and editions, which are over 500 in number, have been widely performed in Europe and North America. Articles by Frank Pooler in the area of choral art have been published in major professional journals, and he has served as a member of the Editorial Board of the "Choral Journal."- 1943 While still a high school student, founded and directed the first children's choir at First (Norwegian) Lutheran Church.
- 1953 Studied and worked with Scandinavian composers in Norway, Sweden and Denmark resulting in the English publication of more than 100 Scandinavian choral works.
- 1954-1957 Minister of Music at First Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, MN.
- 1955 Fellow of the American-Scandinavian Foundation.
In the mid-1970s, he also taught summer school in Saratoga Springs, New York, at Skidmore College. He gave graduate level classes as part of the State University of New York (Potsdam) "Saratoga Potsdam Choral Institute" (SPCI), directed by Brock MacElheran.
Recipient of the Sunni Award (Australia's Grammy) for production on the album, "SCAT!"
- 2006 Honoree Award recipient at the American Choral Director Association Western Division convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He is co-author of three books, "The New Choral Notation, " "Sound and Symbol," and "Choralography - an Experience in Sound and Movement. " The "Frank Pooler Editions," and the "Frank Pooler Library of Significant Works," feature works by leading composers of the United States, Australia, Scandinavia, and Argentina.
Personal life
Frank Pooler was born and raised in Onalaska, WisconsinOnalaska, Wisconsin
Onalaska is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 18,097. It is part of the La Crosse Metropolitan Area....
. He attended St. Olaf College
St. 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...
, and earned a Bachelor's degree there. While there, he acquired a love for choral music while singing under Olaf Christiansen, son of the noted choral director, F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition.-Background:...
. He worked for a year after that as the music director at the First Baptist Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota
Albert Lea, Minnesota
Albert Lea is a city in and the county seat of Freeborn County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 18,016 at the 2010 census....
, before going to the University of Iowa, where he earned a Masters Degree. From there, he worked for several years at Shimer College
Shimer College
Shimer College is a very small, private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Founded by Frances Wood Shimer in 1853 in the frontier town of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, it was a women's school for most of its first century. It joined with the University of...
, then in Mount Carrol, Illinois. He often said that those years at Shimer were among the happiest and most productive of his life. From there, he went to a brief stint at New Trier High School in Chicago. It was there, in the middle of winter 1959, that he received a phone call from a former University of Iowa colleague, asking if he wanted to come to California to work at Long Beach State University. Frank's answer was "what's the temperature there?" He would go on to teach at CSULB for 28 years, before retiring in 1988. He earned the St. Olaf Medal from the King of Norway in 1984 for distinguished contributions to Norwegian music in the United States.
Works
The Frank Pooler Collection. (Music) The Frank Pooler Collection contains the published, written/composed, arranged, edited, and instigated work of Frank Pooler. Included are several hundred choral octavos printed singly (S), or in collections (C). The collection also contains articles and other journalistic items by or about the Poolers published in magazines, newspapers, and brochures.The Carpenter Connection
Richard CarpenterRichard Carpenter (musician)
Richard Lynn Carpenter is an American pop musician, best known as one half of the brother/sister duo The Carpenters, along with his sister Karen Carpenter. He was a producer, arranger, pianist and keyboardist, and occasional lyricist, as well as joining with Karen on harmony...
accompanied Pooler's University Choir at California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
. Several years later, Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter
Karen Anne Carpenter was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard, formed the 1970s duo The Carpenters. She was a drummer of exceptional skill, but she is best remembered for her vocal performances of idealistic romantic ballads of true love...
also joined the choir and recorded "Goodnight," "Crescent Noon," and "And When I Die" with the choir in 1969. Karen's parents hired Frank to give Karen music lessons
Richard Carpenter later composed the music to "Merry Christmas Darling
Merry Christmas Darling
"Merry Christmas, Darling" by The Carpenters was written by Richard Carpenter & Frank Pooler and originally recorded in 1970. At the time, it was first available on a 7" single from A&M Records and later in 1974 reissued as A&M 1648 and in 1977 as A&M 1991...
," a lyric Pooler had written when he was 18. Karen later said,
"'Merry Christmas Darling' I think, is a little extra special to both of us, because Richard wrote it, and the lyrics were written by the choral director at Long Beach State choir, where we went to school, Frank Pooler. Frank was very helpful in our college days, when we were trying to get a contract and constantly missing classes and everything. He was the only one down there who actually understood what we were after, and he stood behind us all the way. We just did a benefit at Long Beach state, for a scholarship fund, and we did it with the choir and the whole thing, and we did "Christmas Darling" and he just "glows" every time we do it….. I think it's my favorite, because it's really close to me."