ABOUT THE WEBSITE
You are invited to explore this website to encounter the choral magic of Robert Shaw. Some of you have experienced his genius first hand and may still carry vivid memories of the rehearsals and performances under his baton. Click Here to share notes from your scores, letters or articles that you may have collected - as well as your memories. We especially want to hear from our Cleveland Orchestra Chorus peers who preceded us with Mr. Shaw.
If you are learning about Robert Shaw for the first time, this is your opportunity to experience his philosophy and ideas through his letters and interviews.
This site was launched in the spring of 2016 with major contributions from Pam Elrod Huffman (articles) and Howard Dyck (interviews.) Our hope is that through contributions of documents, programs and experiences from people who worked with him the site will grow to be the place that will help continue his amazing legacy and inspire young conductors and singers for years to come.
As one of our team has often remarked, “When you have a choral masterpiece, a prepared orchestra, a prepared chorus and Robert Shaw as conductor, it’s like dancing on mountain tops.”
This site is the work of volunteers. We are all musician/singers who sang in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw for many years (1967-1999.) Most of the team were original members from the ASOC’s beginning in 1970 and two are still active members of the ASOC.
Suzanne Shull – Project Manager, Editor and Contributor; retired choral educator and conductor
Nola Frink – Editor and Contributor; Choral Administrator and Administrative Assistant to the Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra when Robert Shaw held the position
Douglas Brown – Technical Consultant, Editor and Contributor; retired choral educator and educational administrator
Ellen Dukes – Editor and Contributor; retired writer and editor
Nick Jones – Contributing Consultant; former Program Annotator of the ASO and unofficial historian of the ASO and ASOC
John Cooledge – Contributing Consultant; audiophile, member of the Atlanta Symphony Board of Counselors
Additionally, two renowned music professionals provided invaluable materials which form some of the backbone of the site.
Howard Dyck is the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of Consort Caritatis as well as Artistic Director Emeritus of the Grand Philharmonic Choir (Kitchener-Waterloo) and Conductor Emeritus of the Bach Elgar Choir (Hamilton). Mr. Dyck is known across Canada as the former program host of Choral Concert and Saturday Afternoon at the Opera on CBC Radio in Canada. In the early 1990’s Mr. Dyck did a series of wide ranging interviews with Robert Shaw about his career. The material from the interviews was made available for use in this site by CBC Radio, with Mr. Dyck’s blessing. Click for more information about Howard Dyck.
Pam Elrod Huffman is associate professor of music and director of choral activities at the Southern Methodist University Meadow School of the Arts in Dallas, Texas. She provided materials about Robert Shaw’s choral methods and warm-ups. Click for more information.