Anton Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Dr. Anton Armstrong is the conductor
of the St. Olaf Choir
as well as the Harry R. and Thora H. Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College
of Northfield, Minnesota
in the USA. Armstrong became only the fourth director of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990, continuing the tradition begun by the choir's founder F. Melius Christiansen
in 1911, sustained and developed by his son, Olaf C. Christiansen, and strengthened and enhanced by Kenneth Jennings
. Armstrong also teaches conducting in the Sacred Music department at Luther Seminary
. He also conducts some pieces in "Northfield Youth Choirs".
, New York
from the Caribbean. Armstrong grew up in Long Island where he and his mother were active singers in a local church choir. Armstrong joined the American Boychoir, based in Princeton, New Jersey. According to Armstrong, “That experience lit my fire for choral singing.”
Anton Armstrong was first made aware of the St. Olaf Choir when his pastor took him to a performance at Avery Fisher Hall despite the fact that Armstrong had tickets to see the Moody Blues at Madison Square Garden
. His mother made the decision for him to attend the St. Olaf Choir concert.
Anton is the youngest of three brothers. Oldest brother Garry was (until 2001) a reporter for WHDH-TV, Channel 7 in Boston, MA, and next older brother William (Billy) is a printing professional on Long Island
, New York
.
. Jennings became a mentor to Armstrong and 12 years after graduating from St. Olaf, Armstrong replaced Jennings as director of the St. Olaf Choir.
After graduating from St. Olaf, Armstrong attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
where he earned a Masters of Music degree and Michigan State University
where he completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts. His doctoral thesis was Celebrating 75 Years of Musical Excellence: the Evolution of the St. Olaf Choir.
and conducted the Calvin Choir, the Campus Choir, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and the Alumni Choir. He also conducted the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale from 1981 until his departure for St. Olaf in 1990.
In 1990, Armstrong assumed the duties of Director of Choral Activities at St. Olaf College in Northfield
, Minnesota
. He is director of the St. Olaf Choir
and Collegiate Chorale and also teaches advanced choral conducting and vocal pedagogy classes that focus on child and adolescent voice. He serves as the artistic director of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
Armstrong is currently the summer music director of the Youth Choral Academy of the Oregon Bach Festival
. The 10-day choral festival is based in Eugene, Oregon. He is an editor for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor of Augsburg Fortress Publishers. With Augsburg Fortress he is editing the revised St. Olaf Choral Series, which contains literature that was composed by F. Melius Christiansen
and Kenneth Jennings
, among others.
Past achievements include co-conductor of the World Youth Choir organized by the International Federation of Choral Music. He has been part of the summer faculty for the American Boychoir for the more than 20 years.
to Australia
, New Zealand
, Denmark
, Austria
, France
, Germany
, Slovakia
, the Czech Republic
, Switzerland
, England
, and most recently Norway
in 2005. In May 2005, the choir performed at the National Day of Prayer in front of President & Mrs. Bush in the White House. The choir frequently performs at conventions
, including past performances at the national American Choral Directors Association
convention in Chicago
in 1999 and Los Angeles
in 2005, and the Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music in Minneapolis. The annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival has become a popular PBS broadcast, and the choir has performed on Garrison Keillor
’s A Prairie Home Companion
.
During Dr. Armstrong’s tenure
as director of the St. Olaf Choir, the choir has recorded 11 CDs. As of 2006, the most recent recording by the choir under the St. Olaf record label is A St. Olaf Christmas in Norway. The choir released its first international recording in 2003, completed by Linn Records
of London, England.
Armstrong was awarded Baylor University
's Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching in 2006.
Armstrong was the director of the New Jersey 2004 All-State Choir and 2008 National Youth Choir, the clinician of the TMEA 2007 Texas All-State Choir and Regional ACDA clinician, and the director of the 2008 Festival of Gold Honor Choir in Chicago, IL. He conducted the Florida All-State Concert Choir of 2009 in Tampa. He is scheduled as the conductor of the 2009 Georgia Music Educators Association Senior Mixed All State Choir.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the St. Olaf Choir
St. Olaf Choir
The St. Olaf Choir, a 75 voice mixed ensemble, is the touring a cappella choir of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. Officially founded in 1912 by music faculty member F. Melius Christiansen as the St. Olaf Lutheran Choir, it began as an outgrowth of the local St. John's Lutheran Church,...
as well as the Harry R. and Thora H. Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
of Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
in the USA. Armstrong became only the fourth director of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990, continuing the tradition begun by the choir's founder F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition.-Background:...
in 1911, sustained and developed by his son, Olaf C. Christiansen, and strengthened and enhanced by Kenneth Jennings
Kenneth Jennings
Kenneth Jennings is the Harry R. and Thora Helseth Tosdal Professor Emeritus of Music and Director Emeritus of the St. Olaf Choir. He is a published arranger, composer, and choral music educator.-Biography:...
. Armstrong also teaches conducting in the Sacred Music department at Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary is the largest seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood of St...
. He also conducts some pieces in "Northfield Youth Choirs".
Early years
Anton’s parents migrated to Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from the Caribbean. Armstrong grew up in Long Island where he and his mother were active singers in a local church choir. Armstrong joined the American Boychoir, based in Princeton, New Jersey. According to Armstrong, “That experience lit my fire for choral singing.”
Anton Armstrong was first made aware of the St. Olaf Choir when his pastor took him to a performance at Avery Fisher Hall despite the fact that Armstrong had tickets to see the Moody Blues at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. His mother made the decision for him to attend the St. Olaf Choir concert.
Anton is the youngest of three brothers. Oldest brother Garry was (until 2001) a reporter for WHDH-TV, Channel 7 in Boston, MA, and next older brother William (Billy) is a printing professional on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Education
Armstrong earned his bachelor's degree at St. Olaf College, graduating in 1978. He was a member of the St. Olaf Choir from 1976–1978, under the leadership of Kenneth JenningsKenneth Jennings
Kenneth Jennings is the Harry R. and Thora Helseth Tosdal Professor Emeritus of Music and Director Emeritus of the St. Olaf Choir. He is a published arranger, composer, and choral music educator.-Biography:...
. Jennings became a mentor to Armstrong and 12 years after graduating from St. Olaf, Armstrong replaced Jennings as director of the St. Olaf Choir.
After graduating from St. Olaf, Armstrong attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
where he earned a Masters of Music degree and Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
where he completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts. His doctoral thesis was Celebrating 75 Years of Musical Excellence: the Evolution of the St. Olaf Choir.
Professional Work
Upon completion of his doctorate, Armstrong worked for 10 years at Calvin CollegeCalvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
and conducted the Calvin Choir, the Campus Choir, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and the Alumni Choir. He also conducted the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale from 1981 until his departure for St. Olaf in 1990.
In 1990, Armstrong assumed the duties of Director of Choral Activities at St. Olaf College in Northfield
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He is director of the St. Olaf Choir
St. Olaf Choir
The St. Olaf Choir, a 75 voice mixed ensemble, is the touring a cappella choir of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. Officially founded in 1912 by music faculty member F. Melius Christiansen as the St. Olaf Lutheran Choir, it began as an outgrowth of the local St. John's Lutheran Church,...
and Collegiate Chorale and also teaches advanced choral conducting and vocal pedagogy classes that focus on child and adolescent voice. He serves as the artistic director of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
Armstrong is currently the summer music director of the Youth Choral Academy of the Oregon Bach Festival
Oregon Bach Festival
The Oregon Bach Festival is an annual celebration of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his musical legacy, held in Eugene, Oregon, United States, in late June and early July. The artistic director is German organist and conductor Helmuth Rilling and the Executive Director is John Evans,...
. The 10-day choral festival is based in Eugene, Oregon. He is an editor for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor of Augsburg Fortress Publishers. With Augsburg Fortress he is editing the revised St. Olaf Choral Series, which contains literature that was composed by F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition.-Background:...
and Kenneth Jennings
Kenneth Jennings
Kenneth Jennings is the Harry R. and Thora Helseth Tosdal Professor Emeritus of Music and Director Emeritus of the St. Olaf Choir. He is a published arranger, composer, and choral music educator.-Biography:...
, among others.
Past achievements include co-conductor of the World Youth Choir organized by the International Federation of Choral Music. He has been part of the summer faculty for the American Boychoir for the more than 20 years.
Accomplishments
Under Armstrong's direction, the St. Olaf Choir has toured extensively both domestically and abroad. International tours have taken the choirChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and most recently Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 2005. In May 2005, the choir performed at the National Day of Prayer in front of President & Mrs. Bush in the White House. The choir frequently performs at conventions
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
, including past performances at the national American Choral Directors Association
American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
convention in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1999 and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 2005, and the Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music in Minneapolis. The annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival has become a popular PBS broadcast, and the choir has performed on Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
’s A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
.
During Dr. Armstrong’s tenure
Tenure
Tenure commonly refers to life tenure in a job and specifically to a senior academic's contractual right not to have his or her position terminated without just cause.-19th century:...
as director of the St. Olaf Choir, the choir has recorded 11 CDs. As of 2006, the most recent recording by the choir under the St. Olaf record label is A St. Olaf Christmas in Norway. The choir released its first international recording in 2003, completed by Linn Records
Linn Records
Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products.-History:While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became frustrated with some of the specialist test LPs they were using...
of London, England.
Armstrong was awarded Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
's Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching in 2006.
Armstrong was the director of the New Jersey 2004 All-State Choir and 2008 National Youth Choir, the clinician of the TMEA 2007 Texas All-State Choir and Regional ACDA clinician, and the director of the 2008 Festival of Gold Honor Choir in Chicago, IL. He conducted the Florida All-State Concert Choir of 2009 in Tampa. He is scheduled as the conductor of the 2009 Georgia Music Educators Association Senior Mixed All State Choir.