Beat Raaflaub
Encyclopedia
Beat Martin Raaflaub is a Swiss
conductor
. He is the brother of Kurt Raaflaub
, Professor of Classics and History at Brown University
.
He grew up in Basel
and Cameroon
and studied German
and history
at the University
of Basel
where he graduated as a doctor
in modern Swiss history in 1977. At the same time he became a concert singer after having studied with Fritz Näf. Finally, the Basel Conservatory issued Raaflaub the diploma
for "Teaching School Music" and "Choir Direction". In 1976 he was nominated Director of the Jugendmusikschule Muttenz near Basel.
Since 1979 he has managed two other choir
s as a musical director, the Choir St. Arbogast Muttenz
and the Chamber Choir Bülach
(Kammerchor Zürcher Unterland). He gives concerts with both choirs in all parts of Switzerland.
In 1983 Raaflaub took over the musical direction of the Basel Boys Choir
(Knabenkantorei Basel). Many recordings for radio
and television
were produced with his choirs. He gave concerts with his Boys Choir in Europe
, in the United States
, in South Africa
and in Brazil
. Several CD
-recordings were produced under his direction.
Additionally, Raaflaub teaches young conductors at the "Music Academy Basel". He also presents regularly the radio show Sing mit at the Swiss Radio DRS. Raaflaub is an important artistic counselor of the European Youth Choir Festival.
Raaflaub is married to Marianne Kübler-Raaflaub and has four children: Lukas, a professional cellist; twins Stefan and Daniel, both graduated geographers and former members of The Glue; and Gabriela.
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....
conductor
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...
. He is the brother of Kurt Raaflaub
Kurt Raaflaub
Kurt Arnold Raaflaub is a Swiss historian and Emeritus Professor of Classics and History at Brown University. He is the brother of conductor Beat Raaflaub....
, Professor of Classics and History at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
He grew up in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
and studied German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
where he graduated as a doctor
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in modern Swiss history in 1977. At the same time he became a concert singer after having studied with Fritz Näf. Finally, the Basel Conservatory issued Raaflaub the diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
for "Teaching School Music" and "Choir Direction". In 1976 he was nominated Director of the Jugendmusikschule Muttenz near Basel.
Since 1979 he has managed two other choir
Choir
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...
s as a musical director, the Choir St. Arbogast Muttenz
Muttenz
Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17,000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is located in the district of Arlesheim and next to the city of Basle.-History:...
and the Chamber Choir Bülach
Bülach
Bülach is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Zurich, located in the district of the same name, and belongs to the Glatt Valley .-History:Bülach is first mentioned in 811 as Pulacha...
(Kammerchor Zürcher Unterland). He gives concerts with both choirs in all parts of Switzerland.
In 1983 Raaflaub took over the musical direction of the Basel Boys Choir
Basel Boys Choir
The Basel Boys Choir is a Swiss boys' choir based in Basel; it grew out of the Boys' Choir of the Protestant Church of Basel-City, founded by Hermann Ulbrich in 1927. Today the choir is non-denominational. They sing both sacred and secular works...
(Knabenkantorei Basel). Many recordings for radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
were produced with his choirs. He gave concerts with his Boys Choir in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Several CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
-recordings were produced under his direction.
Additionally, Raaflaub teaches young conductors at the "Music Academy Basel". He also presents regularly the radio show Sing mit at the Swiss Radio DRS. Raaflaub is an important artistic counselor of the European Youth Choir Festival.
Raaflaub is married to Marianne Kübler-Raaflaub and has four children: Lukas, a professional cellist; twins Stefan and Daniel, both graduated geographers and former members of The Glue; and Gabriela.