Let Me Share Some Inspiring Stories: Collected Interviews from Notable Choral Conductors. Dr. Gregory Gentry – University of Colorado Boulder
As we move forward with the need to regain and reNEW our footing in choral music repertoire, rehearsal, and performance, we can look to the future by reflecting on the past success of a diverse group of choral conductors. There is a lot to consider and reflect upon as we look forward. Perhaps one of the best ways to gain perspective and confidence is to look where we have come from, and the examples of choral experiences and challenges of others. Let me tell you of some of those experiences, such as:
- Stories of inspiration from Peter Bagley studying with Nadia Boulanger and Helen Hosmer.
- Stories of international collaborations such as Maria Guinand premiering works by Helmuth Rilling.
- A story of preparation and triumph from Henry Leck about the Indianapolis Children’s Choir singing at the Superbowl for Kelly Clarkson.
- Stories of friendship between Paul Salamunovich and Weston Noble through recollections of Eph Ehly.
- Stories about greatness, and the significance of Elaine Brown and the Singing City Choir.
- Stories about preparing choral performances for Leonard Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski.
- Stories of great experiences conducting remarkable All-State Choirs.
- Stories of Canadian, English, and Venezuelan choral composers and their works, through Hillary Apfelstadt, Simon Carrington, and Maria Guinand.
- And more!
The PowerPoint for this session is available here.
Website: gregorygentryconductor.com
Dr. Gentry is founding Chorus Master of the new Boulder Philharmonic Chorus working alongside conductor Michael Butterman and the Boulder Philharmonic, to present the world premiere of Ozymandias by composer Drew Hemenger (2022). A skilled interpreter of new works, Gentry conducted the world premiere of Reflections on a Mexican Garden by Colorado composer Kevin Padworski at Carnegie Hall in April 2018. Gentry is the former Phoenix Symphony Chorus Master (collaborating with conductor Michael Christie), where he prepared many major choral/orchestral masterworks, including Puccini’s Messa di Gloria (2012), North American premiere of In Principio by Arvo Pärt (2011), On the Transmigration of Souls (2010) and Nixon in China (2009) by John Adams, the world premiere of Mark Grey’s Enemy Slayer: A Navajo Oratorio (2008) with an English/Navajo libretto, and the Arizona premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar in collaboration with Dawn Upshaw and Kelley O’Connor (2008). Gentry also made his Phoenix Symphony conducting debut in 2009 to sold-out audiences with Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms.
In addition to conducting All-State Choirs, Gentry’s collegiate choirs have performed at conferences for the American Choral Directors Association, National Collegiate Choral Organization, Music Educators National Conference, Colorado Music Educators Association, Arizona Music Educators Association, Society for American Music and College Music Society. At CU Boulder, he has prepared collaborative performances with the Boulder Philharmonic, Colorado Music Festival, Boulder Bach Festival, and conducted Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem with combined CU choirs and CU symphony (220+ singers and instrumentalists) at historic Macky Auditorium.
As a music editor, the Gregory Gentry Choral Series (Fred Bock Publishers) is distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation and features reviving select choral octavi from the former Golden and National Music catalogs, including significant works by Cecil Effinger, George Lynn, Wray Lundquist and Roy Harris. He takes professional delight in having founded Southwest Liederkranz in 2006, an intimate symposium for select choral professionals, where Kirke Mechem, Morten Lauridsen, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Vance George, Dale Warland, Dennis Keene, Duain Wolfe, Maria Guinand, Eph Ehly, Joshua Habermann, Sharon Paul and Gary Packwood have, to date, been invited to share their knowledge, wisdom, humor, and varying inspirations.
