Vance George
Encyclopedia
Vance George is an American
choral conductor
from Nappanee, Indiana
.
A protege of Margaret Hillis
, Vance George served as choral director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus
for 23 years (1983–2006).
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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
choral conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
from Nappanee, Indiana
Nappanee, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,710 people, 2,521 households, and 1,792 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,818.9 people per square mile . There were 2,647 housing units at an average density of 717.5 per square mile...
.
A protege of Margaret Hillis
Margaret Hillis
Margaret Hillis was an American conductor. She was the founder and first director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.-Life:...
, Vance George served as choral director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus
San Francisco Symphony Chorus
The San Francisco Symphony Chorus is the resident chorus of the San Francisco Symphony .-Background:Established in 1972 at the request of Seiji Ozawa, then the San Francisco Symphony's music director, the chorus first performed in the 1973-74 Symphony season. the SFS Chorus today gives a minimum of...
for 23 years (1983–2006).
As guest conductor of the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
, he led performances of Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
'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
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
' "A German Requiem" and Orff
Carl Orff
Carl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
'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
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
's "Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
" (broadcast on KQED).
Vance George graduated from Goshen College
Goshen College
Goshen College, is a private Mennonite liberal arts college in Goshen, Indiana, USA with an enrollment of around 1,000 students. The college is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities...
and Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1997 by Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. In 1999, Chorus America presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted as a National Patron of Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
, an international professional music fraternity on April 3, 2008.