He was a choral conductor and music director born in Abilene, Texas, who took his degree studies for his Bachelor of Arts at Abilene Christian University in 1948 followed by Indiana University and further studies at New York University.
In 1971 he went to work for the Cleveland Orchestra as their Director of Choruses and Assistant Conductor. His work with them was much respected and he led the chorus for many of their acclaimed performances with some of them being broadcast nationally on television and radio.
In 1980 he took up the position of Music Director and Conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Philadelphia, where he made preparations for choral performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, which brought them international as well as national fame. His work with The Mendelssohn Choir continued as their Music Director Emeritus, which he became after leaving them after his 26 year tenure in 2006.
He remained with the Cleveland Orchestra until 1989 when he moved to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as their Director of Special Projects and Choral Activities.
Often working with the Mendelssohn Choir or as a guest conductor for musicals, operatic productions and leading symphony orchestras, he led numerous orchestras through America and Europe. Some of these included American orchestras from Dallas, Houston, Louisiana, Minnesota, San Antonio and Virginia, European orchestras such as the Budapest Concert Orchestra, Czech State Philharmonic, Luxembourg RTL Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also led opera companies in Caroline, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Clevelandand Kansas City and the Chicago Lyric Chorus.
He formed his own Robert Page Festival Singers in 1999 with members/ex-members of other major choruses he worked with. They appeared at many European music festivals in countries that include Finland, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. These performances were accompanied by the State Orchestra of St. Petersburg and the Halle State Philharmonic Orchestra among others.
His acclaimed work with many choruses led him to being involved with the Berkshire Choral Festival and in commissioned works as well as world/American premieres which include Torquemada by Leonardo Balada, Utrenja and Paradise Lost by Penderecki, the commissioned An American Oratorio by Ned Rorem, Concerto on Old English Rounds for Viola and Orchestra by William Schumann and Symphony No 13 by Shostakovich.
Having many performances recorded, he received 2 Grammy Awards for Carmina Burana with the Cleveland Orchestra and Catulli Carmina with the Philadelphia Orchestra (both pieces by Carl Orff). He also won the Prix Mondial de Montreaux for the world premiere recording of Symphony No. 13 “Babi Yar” by Shostakovitch with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchetra and the Grand Prix du Disc with the Cleveland Orchestra for Porgy and Bess. He also received a further 8 Grammy Award nominations.
His work in the field of musical education saw as a faculty member of Temple University and in 2004 he took on a position at the Carnegie Mellon University, where his wife Glynn was the Professor of Drama Emerita, as the Paul Mellon Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies. He held masterclasses at Brown University and received one of the first memberships of the American Choral Director Association. He was also a co-founder of Chorus America, where he was their President for 3 years, and was a member of several panels for the National Endowment of the Arts.
His daughters are the singer/actress Carolann Page and the harpist Paula Page who has held the position of Principal Harp with the Houston Symphony.
Gaining many accolades he was awarded honorary degrees by Beaver College, Drury College, Seton Hill College and Quincy College, had American Record Review name him as “a national treasure” and was named the 1998 Artist of the Year in Pennsylvania.
He died in Oakland, California, from a bone infection in 2016 when he was 89 years old.
Temple University Choir recordings
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis) (Frederick Oakeley/John Francis Wade)
Director – Robert Page
Philadelphia Orchestra
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy
CD: Greatest Christmas Hits (Sony Music Special Products A 24993)
Sources:
- https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Page-Robert.htm
- http://www.concerts-austria.com/ref2008/page/robert_page.htm
- http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pghsymph.nsf/3f2e79f52079e7e08525681c00791572/893aa2d54c650378852567e70047663d!OpenDocument
- http://www.naxos.com/person/Robert_Page/100902.htm
- http://www.van.org/articles/RobertPage20091003.htm
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Page-Conductor/211598932348
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Awards_of_1976
- http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Music/guests.html
- http://www.gingarts.com/photos.php?id=13