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This ensemble, which was founded by the music director
Robert Wagner in 1947, began life as the Los Angeles Concert Chorale made
up of twelve singers from young choruses he directed in the City of Los
Angeles. After its first
appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra it went on to appear
with them regularly until 1964 when they had their own Los Angeles Master
Chorale, also established by Robert Wagner. In 1949, now known as the Roger Wagner Chorale, they
were signed to Capitol Records and their recognition spread around the
world leading to them being invited to sing at the Coronation Festivities
in 1953 in the Festival Hall in London followed by appearances in Paris and
The Hague, all of which were heard on radio broadcasts of each country. They went on to tour South and
Central America in 1959 where they visited 19 countries, the United States
and Canada has seen them tour every state since 1955 and their
international tours have led them to places as far afield as the Middle
East, the Far East and the Soviet Union. Being very active in the recording studio they have
recorded over 80 albums, which include their Grammy Award winning Virtuoso!
of 1958 and the Gold Record Joy to the World, and on the silver
screen they have been heard in the movies The Gallant Blade and Black
Christmas. Roger Wagner
held the position of Music Director until 1995 when his daughter Jeannine
Wagner took over the post, and he is now the Music Director Laureate.
Traditional recordings
Angels We Have Heard On High (Traditional
French/James Chadwick/Edward Barnes)
Capitol CDP 7 94688-2 (CD: Joy to the World)
Sources:
- http://www.rogerwagnerchorale.com/
- http://www.salliterri.org/chorale.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Wagner
- http://imdb.com/name/nm1133460/
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