The Waldorf Choral Society
Garden City, New York
George V. Rose, Director
|
|
The Waldorf Choral Society |
About the Waldorf Choral Society The 2004-2005 season will mark the 40th year that the Waldorf Choral Society has been performing for Long Island audiences. The Choral Society, formed by faculty and parents of the Waldorf School under the leadership of George V. Rose, soon grew to include singers from many communities on the Island. In the early years, concerts were held in various Long Island churches. In 1973 the Society embarked on a challenging project, the Baroque Festival. Held on two consecutive evenings, the majestic music of Bach and Handel was performed using period instruments. Prominent Baroque music specialists from New York, Boston and Washington D.C. were featured in the Festivals. The Waldorf Choral Society boasts of the first American performances using period instruments of Handel's Messiah in 1975 and Bach's St. Matthew Passion in 1982. A roster of professional singers who have performed with the society contains the names of many of America's best-known Oratorio singers. The Choral Society's repertoire spans the centuries from Renaissance to the present time. |
About the Director George V. Rose was the music director of the Waldorf School of Garden City where he taught from 1962 to 1997. Under his tutelage choirs at the school gained renown, appearing in Los Angeles, Washington, New York, Boston and other cultural centers. Mr. Rose made three European tours with the Waldorf Singers, each time receiving critical praise. He has conducted at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and was a conductor of choral music for ABC-TV. He was a leader in the movement to use original Baroque instruments when performing early music. |