|
Our
Artistic Director and his vision:
".
. . to achieve the highest possible
standard of excellence . . ."
 Donald
Neuen, conductor and artistic director, has defined the
artistic vision and performance standards of the Angeles
Chorale since 1995. We're proud to have the leadership
and dedication to excellence of this internationally-acclaimed
director, who has been referred to as “...the great
choral conductor of his generation” by musicologist
Julius Herford.
In additon, as Distinguished Professor and Director of Choral Activities
at UCLA, Don Neuen heads one of the most respected graduate choral conducting
programs in the U.S. Prior to UCLA, he served for twelve years in the
same position at the Eastman School of Music.
Hailed by Don Hinshaw as “the driving force of choral music education
in America,” Neuen also conducts the Crystal Cathedral Choir at
the landmark Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA, and appears weekly
on their internationally-televised "Hour of Power" broadcast.
A student and protégé of Robert Shaw, Neuen went to Atlanta
in 1970 at Shaw’s request to create the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Chorus, and to serve as Assistant Conductor and Director of Choral Activities
for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Neuen has made it his personal
mission to build on the standards of excellence set by Shaw.
Neuen has served on the faculties of the universities of Wisconsin, Tennessee,
Ball State, and Georgia State University. In addition, he has conducted
orchestras from around the world, and has led conducting clinics in Europe,
Asia, Mexico, Canada, and nearly every state in the United States.
Donald Neuen's Vision Statement:
As Artistic Director, my vision for the Angeles Chorale is, very simply, to achieve the highest possible standards of excellence in the areas of vocal production, musicianship, musicality, programming and overall contribution to the artistic life of the community we serve.
Our major thrust is the performance of extended works for chorus and orchestra. These will range in variety from Bach to world-premiere presentations.
The standards of the Angeles Chorale must be as high as our vision. Singers must, first of all, be excellent musicians, who read music very well. Secondly, they must possess vocal ability that will enable them to consistently demonstrate expressive leadership in their singing.
They must, as members of a volunteer chorus, rise to completely professional levels of performance in every way. Then, and only then, will we truly serve the arts, the people in our community who appreciate the arts, and in so doing, ourselves. |
