Sunday, August 18, 1996
Future concerts include a joint effort with UCLA singersBy
Michelle Nguyen
Summer Bruin Contributor
There are certain aspects of a person’s life that really give
them a sense of self. Conducting chorus and orchestra is one such
thing to Donald Neuen, UCLA professor of conducting and director of
choral activities. So much so that he is willing to take on double
the load of conducting, being recently named conductor and artistic
director of the Angeles Chorale, one of the most respected choral
ensembles in the Los Angeles area.
From the very start he decided that music was a primary passion
and participated in junior high and high school chorus, band and
orchestra. It was only a matter of time before he would bring those
two aspects of music that he loved, the instruments and voices,
together by becoming a chorus and orchestra conductor.
In doing so he made conducting his top priority, sacrificing
what he calls the "individual" side of music.
"When you’re a conductor you spend all of your available time
recruiting, studying scores, planning and organizing, rehearsing,
teaching and performing that there is little time left for the
individual performance that you have done in earlier years such as
singing and playing an instrument," Neuen says.
His dedication to conducting has brought him a long way. Writing
about choral conductors, the late Julius Herford, musicologist, and
renowned teacher of the likes of Leonard Bernstein, wrote, "Don
Neuen is the great conductor of his generation." The demand for his
conducting and teaching skills have taken Neuen all around the
world, most recently to Singapore, Indonesia and New York City’s
Carnegie Hall.
Neuen hopes that his new role with the Angeles Chorale and
continuing direction of the UCLA Chorale and University Choir will
get more people involved in singing.
"I plan to expand and enlarge the membership of the group and
continue their excellent history with the highest possible standard
of musicianship and vocal performance," says Neuen.
He will add 30 more members to the Angeles Chorale to extend the
membership to 150 members. Since Neuen’s arrival at UCLA, the UCLA
Chorale and University Chorus has doubled in size to slightly over
100 members each.
"My top priority is recruiting more UCLA students into the
program," Neuen says.
Aside from having the members of a chorale ensemble read music
very well, Neuen takes special care to keep the balance between
having a large choir and having the choir sound crisp.
"By relentlessly teaching to sing with true artistry and
sensitivity, sensitive to the music, to each other, we could make
200 people sound like 24," says Neuen.
Neuen’s other plans with his chorale ensembles include putting
together a joint concert between the Angeles Chorale and the UCLA
Chorale. The concert will see the groups performing a major work
for chorus and orchestra.
Neuen already had this joint concert in mind before he was named
conductor of the Angeles Chorale. "Well, I’m very happy about that
because when I came here to UCLA, it was with a stipulation that I
eventually merge the forces of the UCLA Chorale with an adult
contemporary chorus and this makes that possible."
Performing with the Angeles Chorale, an adult contemporary
chorus, would allow the UCLA Chorale to perform works they
otherwise would not be able to do because of the nature of some
major works.
"There are many major works for chorus and orchestra that are
really too demanding for young singers to do on their own, works by
composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, Berlioz, Britten,
etc.," says Neuen. "So this collaboration will afford the UCLA
chorus and graduate voice majors the opportunity to do this
glorious repertoire that we would otherwise be unable to do
properly."
But there will be instances where the UCLA Chorale and the
University Chorus will continue to do joint performances of a less
demanding nature without the Angeles singers.
Although taking on the Angeles Chorale is a major project in
itself, it will in no way diminish Neuen’s dedication to his
projects at UCLA.
"My work with the Angeles Chorale will in no way detract with
the growth and progress of my work with UCLA chorale groups but
only enhance it," Neuen says. "The UCLA Chorale and the University
Chorus will be very active independently the rest of the year, and
the the Angeles Chorale will do two major works independently of
UCLA."
Neuen’s work at UCLA has included conducting the Chorale,
Chamber Singers, University Chorus and Opera, teaching courses in
advanced choral techniques, methods, and conducting and creating a
graduate program in choral conducting. He extends a special
invitation to all UCLA alumni and staff to audition for the Angeles
Chorale.
MUSIC: Audition (818) 888-6293.
UCLA Professor Donald Neuen