Walter Carringer
Encyclopedia
Walter Carringer is an American classical tenor
who had an active career in opera
s, concerts, and recitals during the 1950s and 1960s. He was twice the recipient of the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation award and was a winner of the American Federation of Music Clubs singing competition. He also was twice awarded the Orpheus Award by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
for “significant and lasting contributions to the cause of music in America.”
, Carringer grew up in Murphy, North Carolina
and was highly active as a Boy Scout
in his youth. He served for two and a half years in the United States Army
during World War II
from 1943 to 1946. During his time of service his superior officers noticed his singing abilities and arranged for him to perform in bond selling tours and in United Service Organizations
shows to entertain his fellow troops. He served in Europe for a time and upon the conclusion of the war, entered the music school at Columbia University
in 1947 where he earned a bachelors degree in vocal performance in 1950.
In his senior year of college, Carringer began performing as a soloist on tour with the Robert Shaw Chorale
. He became a member of the choir after graduating, often being chosen by Shaw
to perform as a tenor soloist in addition to singing in the tenor section. After three and a half years with the ensemble, he left the choir to pursue a solo career in 1953.
Over the next two decades Carringer racked up an impressive list of performance credits as a concert soloist. During his career he assailed almost all of the major oratorio
tenor roles. By 1970 he had performed in concerts in every state in the USA, with the exception of Hawaii and Nevada. He found his chief successes in concert performances of Handel oratorios and works by Bach
, often appearing as a soloist with the Oratorio Society of New York
. Highlights of his career included appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony (1962-1965), the Boston Symphony Orchestra
(1963), and the Casals Festival
(1964). He also made appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra
at the Bethlehem Bach Festival. He notably performed in a number of United States premieres, including Lukas Foss
’ A Parable of Death, Gerald Finzi
's Intimations of Immortality, Hector Berlioz
's Lelio (Pittsburgh Symphony under William Steinberg
), Dmitri Shostakovich
’s Song of the Forests and Georg Frideric Handel’s The Triumph of Time and Truth
.
Although primarily a concert tenor, Carringer did occasionally appear in operas; most notably appearing at the New Orleans Opera
in 1962. His biggest operatic successes were had in concert performances of operatic works. He appeared in several concert performances of operas at Carnegie Hall
, most notably singing Mitrane in the American Opera Society
's performance of Gioachino Rossini's Semiramide
with Joan Sutherland
and Marilyn Horne
.
In 1964, Carringer was appointed to the vocal music faculty at Northwestern University
. He worked there for 24 years, teaching several notable singers like Philip Kraus
. He was honored with the title of professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1988. He currently resides in North Carolina.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
who had an active career in opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s, concerts, and recitals during the 1950s and 1960s. He was twice the recipient of the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation award and was a winner of the American Federation of Music Clubs singing competition. He also was twice awarded the Orpheus Award by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
for “significant and lasting contributions to the cause of music in America.”
Biography
Born in Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, Carringer grew up in Murphy, North Carolina
Murphy, North Carolina
-Household Income:The median income for a household in the town was $24,952, and the median income for a family was $35,234. Males had a median income of $30,395 versus $16,908 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,926...
and was highly active as a Boy Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
in his youth. He served for two and a half years in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1943 to 1946. During his time of service his superior officers noticed his singing abilities and arranged for him to perform in bond selling tours and in United Service Organizations
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
shows to entertain his fellow troops. He served in Europe for a time and upon the conclusion of the war, entered the music school at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1947 where he earned a bachelors degree in vocal performance in 1950.
In his senior year of college, Carringer began performing as a soloist on tour with the Robert Shaw Chorale
Robert Shaw Chorale
The Robert Shaw Chorale was a professional chorus founded in New York City in 1948 by Robert Shaw, a Californian who had been drafted out of college a decade earlier by Fred Waring to conduct his Glee Club in radio broadcasts...
. He became a member of the choir after graduating, often being chosen by Shaw
Robert Shaw (conductor)
Robert Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship...
to perform as a tenor soloist in addition to singing in the tenor section. After three and a half years with the ensemble, he left the choir to pursue a solo career in 1953.
Over the next two decades Carringer racked up an impressive list of performance credits as a concert soloist. During his career he assailed almost all of the major oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
tenor roles. By 1970 he had performed in concerts in every state in the USA, with the exception of Hawaii and Nevada. He found his chief successes in concert performances of Handel oratorios and works by Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, often appearing as a soloist with the Oratorio Society of New York
Oratorio Society of New York
The Oratorio Society of New York is a non-profit membership organization which performs choral music in the oratorio style. The Society was founded in 1873 by conductor Leopold Damrosch, and it is New York City's second oldest cultural organization...
. Highlights of his career included appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony (1962-1965), the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
(1963), and the Casals Festival
Casals Festival
The Casals Festival is a classical music event celebrated every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in honor of world renowned musician Pablo Casals.-Background:...
(1964). He also made appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
at the Bethlehem Bach Festival. He notably performed in a number of United States premieres, including Lukas Foss
Lukas Foss
Lukas Foss was a German-born American composer, conductor, and pianist.-Music career:He was born Lukas Fuchs in Berlin, Germany in 1922. His father was the philosopher and scholar Martin Fuchs...
’ A Parable of Death, Gerald Finzi
Gerald Finzi
Gerald Raphael Finzi was a British composer. Finzi is best known as a song-writer, but also wrote in other genres...
's Intimations of Immortality, Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
's Lelio (Pittsburgh Symphony under William Steinberg
William Steinberg
William Steinberg was a German-American conductor.- Biography :Steinberg was born Hans Wilhelm Steinberg in Cologne, Germany. He displayed early talent as a violinist, pianist, and composer, conducting his own choral/ orchestral composition at age 13...
), Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
’s Song of the Forests and Georg Frideric Handel’s The Triumph of Time and Truth
The Triumph of Time and Truth
The Triumph of Time and Truth is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel which saw three iterations across 50 years of Handel's career.HWV 46a is an Italian oratorio from 1707. In 1737 Handel revised and expanded the oratorio to create HWV 46b...
.
Although primarily a concert tenor, Carringer did occasionally appear in operas; most notably appearing at the New Orleans Opera
New Orleans Opera
Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. Operas have regularly been performed in the city since the 1790s, and for the majority of the city's history since the early 19th century, New Orleans has had a resident company regularly performing opera in addition to...
in 1962. His biggest operatic successes were had in concert performances of operatic works. He appeared in several concert performances of operas at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, most notably singing Mitrane in the American Opera Society
American Opera Society
The American Opera Society was a New York City based musical organization that presented concert and semi-staged performances of operas between 1951 and 1970...
's performance of Gioachino Rossini's Semiramide
Semiramide
Semiramide is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini.The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Babylon...
with Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
and Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring a large sound, beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages....
.
In 1964, Carringer was appointed to the vocal music faculty at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. He worked there for 24 years, teaching several notable singers like Philip Kraus
Philip Kraus
Philip Kraus is an American operatic baritone and stage director known for his performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starting in 1991, and for his co-founding of Light Opera Works, a professional light opera company in Chicago, in 1980.-Early training:Kraus was born in New York City and...
. He was honored with the title of professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1988. He currently resides in North Carolina.