Paul Salamunovich
Encyclopedia
Paul Salamunovich KCSG
(born June 7, 1927) is an American choral conductor and educator.
He is the Music Director Emeritus of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
, after having served as Music Director from 1991 to 2001. He served as Director of Music at St. Charles Borromeo Church
in North Hollywood, California, for 60 years between 1949 and 2009. In addition, he has held academic positions at a number of Southern California universities.
He is acknowledged as an expert in Gregorian chant
and has long been recognized for his contributions in the field of sacred music, most notably receiving a Papal knighthood in the Order of St. Gregory the Great
from Pope Paul VI
in 1969. He is also a master clinician, having been invited to conduct just under 1000 festivals and workshops around the world including an unprecedented four consecutive ACDA national conventions—all with different groups.
where he attended St. James Elementary School. When a young priest arrived at the parish and started a boy's choir, Salamunovich joined and, as he says, "I was hooked." This choir sang exclusively in Gregorian chant
, and "all we did was sing funerals," he said. This early foundation in Gregorian chant
, he added, "influenced the music I specialize in, and the techniques I use."
In 1940, at the age of 13, Salamunovich and his family moved to Hollywood, California, where they joined a new church and parochial school at Blessed Sacrament whose men's and boy's choirs director were led by Richard Keys Biggs, the organ teacher of famed choral director Roger Wagner
. Despite starting in the boys choir three years older than was typical, Salamunovich impressed Biggs with his tone and was allowed to join. He remained in the choir even when he moved to a public high school
the following year. At age 14, he began singing with Wagner.
He attended Hollywood High School
where, among other things, he met the former Dorothy Hilton, and they became high school sweethearts. (They later married on May 20, 1950, and they have had five children.) After graduating high school in 1945, he enlisted in the United States Navy
and spent a year in Pearl Harbor
replacing sailors who were sent home after World War II
.
at the age of 19. Hearing of his return, Roger Wagner
contacted Salamunovich and asked him to join his newly formed Los Angeles Concert Youth Chorus—whose other members included a 13-year old Marilyn Horne
and 14-year old Marni Nixon
; this choir later evolved into the Roger Wagner Chorale in 1948. Wagner eventually suggested that Salamunovich study music in college. This led to the beginning of his professional conducting career.
When Wagner's commitments to his own chorale began to take more of his time, he decided to install Salamunovich as choir director at St. Charles Borromeo church in North Hollywood in 1949. A more accurate retelling of the story is that Wagner told the pastor that Salamunovich had experience conducting and playing the organ, neither of which was true! When Salamunovich tried to decline, Wagner insisted so that he could be free to pursue other opportunities. Reluctantly, Salamunovich took the post and over the next sixty years, led the choir in the their regular services as well as in a number of high-profile performances, including multiple appearances at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Biennial National Conventions. Most notably, the St. Charles Choir has sung for Pope John Paul II
in private audience at the Vatican, for the official Mass of Greeting with the Pope presiding in St. Vibiana's Cathedral in Los Angeles and in St. Peter's Square on the Feasts of St.'s Peter and Paul with the Pope presiding in high Mass. They hold the distinction of being the only American choir to be honored with this invitation. The St. Charles Choir has performed on the soundtracks of the motion pictures, "Flatliners
", "Grand Canyon
" and "True Confessions
" on which he also coached Robert DeNiro on the sung responses of the Latin Mass. They have also performed on television including The NBC Doc Severinson Christmas Special. His St. Charles Boys Choir ghosted as the Disneyland Boys Choir on the original "It's A Small World" album. They also performed on television in the Dinah Shore Chevy Special, The Lucy Show
, the Bette Davis film, "Dead Ringer
" and on the Soundtrack of "The Godfather
". Former boys choir members include Admiral Michael Mullen
, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and former UCLA football coach, Terry Donahue
. He finally retired from his post at St. Charles in June 2009.
He served as Assistant Conductor of the Roger Wagner Chorale from 1953 to 1977. When Wagner formed the Los Angeles Master Chorale
, Salamunovich also became Assistant Conductor of the Master Chorale. In this capacity, he prepared choirs for numerous performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic
, including those conducted by Igor Stravinsky
, Bruno Walter
, Eugene Ormandy
, Georg Solti
, Zubin Mehta
, Carlo Maria Giulini
, Valeri Gergiev and Simon Rattle
, among many others.
When the Board of Directors of the Master Chorale and Wagner parted ways in 1986, Wagner recommended Salamunovich to replace him; however, the board decided to ignore Wagner and instead hired Scottish conductor John Currie as Music Director. Currie held the position until the end of the 1991 season; the Master Chorale's board then named Salamunovich as Music Director in January 1991 effective the Fall of that year. "I'm sort of like the prodigal son, come back," Salamunovich said. "My choral heritage is this group."
Once he took over the Master Chorale, Salamunovich set out to restore and even better the signature sound that existed for many years before Currie's tenure. As many insiders already knew, Salamunovich was actually the one who was more responsible for that tone, having led the Chorale in the vast majority of their rehearsals as assistant conductor during that time with Wagner, stepping in to conduct the performances. "I expect to take back your tone about 25 years," Salamunovich told his singers at his first rehearsal as Music Director. "The choir has been top-heavy, very top-heavy. I want to get back to a pyramid blend, to the sound of an over-tone choir." In later interviews with the Los Angeles Times, his approach was described as follows:
He replaced Currie's bright, operatic sound with a kinder and gentler sonority, mellow and blended "with the energy -- or, should I say, foundation of the sound -- coming from the lower voices."
His sound, though initially influenced by Wagner's is more nimble and less heavy without becoming lyrical unless the style of the piece requires it. Salamunovich describes it as "Fervently with passion." As Wagner once said, "Paul, you make them sing the way you sang."
He led the Los Angeles Master Chorale for ten years, during which time he covered a broad range of repertoire from Renaissance
pieces by 16th-century composer Tomas Luis de Vittoria to modern works, most notably those written by Morten Lauridsen
, the Master Chorale's Composer-in-Residence from 1994 through 2001. "There's not a note I've written over these years in which I didn't have Paul and the unique sound he achieves with the Master Chorale in mind," Lauridsen once said. "The way phrases are put together and melody is created--I always write for them." The relationship between conductor and composer resulted in pieces such as O Magnum Mysterium
, Lux Aeterna
, and -- written for Salamunovich's 70th birthday -- Ave Maria
. Salamunovich is also known for his interpretations of the 20th century French composer Maurice Duruflé
who compositions for orchestra and chorus are based upon chant motifs. Salamunovich prepared the St. Charles Choir for a performance of Durufle's Requiem with the composer conducting in 1967. It was their only meeting and with Salamunovich speaking no French and Duruflé speaking no English, their communication was left almost entirely to the music. Years later, one of Salamunovich's students toured the composer's home in Paris which is curated by the Duruflé Society and found a picture of Salamunovich and Duruflé on the wall some 40 years later commemorating their brief albeit memorable collaboration.
Upon retiring as Music Director
of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
in 2001, he was immediately named Music Director Emeritus, a title he still holds. He is one of the most in-demand clinicians having conducted almost 1000 workshops and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, South America, Europe, Australia and the Far East. He led the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the Master Chorale of the United States as part of the annual Festival of Sacred Music at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
in Rome
in November 2003.
He also holds two honorary doctorates from Loyola Marymount University
and the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
.
In addition, he has taught 831 clinics and workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, the Bahamas, Europe, Australia, and the Far East.
:
's Journey of Man. He coached Robert De Niro
in Latin for the role of a priest in True Confessions in addition to preparing the choir for that movie.
His St. Charles Borromeo choir appeared with Henry Mancini
and Doc Severinson in the NBC Christmas Eve Special, while the boy choir has been featured on television on "The Lucy Show" and with Dinah Shore
in the "Chevy Show." His St. Charles Boy's Choir appeared as the Disneyland Boys Choir on the original Disney album, "It's A Small World".
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(born June 7, 1927) is an American choral conductor and educator.
He is the Music Director Emeritus of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Los Angeles Master Chorale
The Los Angeles Master Chorale is a professional chorus in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1964 by Roger Wagner to be one of the three original resident companies of the Music Center of Los Angeles County...
, after having served as Music Director from 1991 to 2001. He served as Director of Music at St. Charles Borromeo Church
St. Charles Borromeo Church (North Hollywood)
St. Charles Borromeo Church is a Catholic church and elementary school located at Moorpark and Lankershim in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest parishes in the San Fernando Valley dating back to 1921...
in North Hollywood, California, for 60 years between 1949 and 2009. In addition, he has held academic positions at a number of Southern California universities.
He is acknowledged as an expert in Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
and has long been recognized for his contributions in the field of sacred music, most notably receiving a Papal knighthood in the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
from Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1969. He is also a master clinician, having been invited to conduct just under 1000 festivals and workshops around the world including an unprecedented four consecutive ACDA national conventions—all with different groups.
Personal history
He was born in Redondo Beach, CaliforniaRedondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
where he attended St. James Elementary School. When a young priest arrived at the parish and started a boy's choir, Salamunovich joined and, as he says, "I was hooked." This choir sang exclusively in Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
, and "all we did was sing funerals," he said. This early foundation in Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
, he added, "influenced the music I specialize in, and the techniques I use."
In 1940, at the age of 13, Salamunovich and his family moved to Hollywood, California, where they joined a new church and parochial school at Blessed Sacrament whose men's and boy's choirs director were led by Richard Keys Biggs, the organ teacher of famed choral director Roger Wagner
Roger Wagner
Roger Wagner, KCSG was an American choral musician, administrator and educator.-Early life:Wagner was born in Le Puy, France. His younger brother was actor and voiceover artist Jack Wagner. Roger Wagner was immersed in music from his youngest years...
. Despite starting in the boys choir three years older than was typical, Salamunovich impressed Biggs with his tone and was allowed to join. He remained in the choir even when he moved to a public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
the following year. At age 14, he began singing with Wagner.
He attended Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.-History:...
where, among other things, he met the former Dorothy Hilton, and they became high school sweethearts. (They later married on May 20, 1950, and they have had five children.) After graduating high school in 1945, he enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and spent a year in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
replacing sailors who were sent home after 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...
.
Singing and conducting career
After completing his Naval enlistment, Salamunovich returned to Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
at the age of 19. Hearing of his return, Roger Wagner
Roger Wagner
Roger Wagner, KCSG was an American choral musician, administrator and educator.-Early life:Wagner was born in Le Puy, France. His younger brother was actor and voiceover artist Jack Wagner. Roger Wagner was immersed in music from his youngest years...
contacted Salamunovich and asked him to join his newly formed Los Angeles Concert Youth Chorus—whose other members included a 13-year old 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....
and 14-year old Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon is an American soprano and playback singer for featured actresses in movie musicals. She has also spent much of her career performing in concerts with major symphony orchestras around the world and in operas and musicals throughout the United States.-Biography:Born Margaret Nixon...
; this choir later evolved into the Roger Wagner Chorale in 1948. Wagner eventually suggested that Salamunovich study music in college. This led to the beginning of his professional conducting career.
When Wagner's commitments to his own chorale began to take more of his time, he decided to install Salamunovich as choir director at St. Charles Borromeo church in North Hollywood in 1949. A more accurate retelling of the story is that Wagner told the pastor that Salamunovich had experience conducting and playing the organ, neither of which was true! When Salamunovich tried to decline, Wagner insisted so that he could be free to pursue other opportunities. Reluctantly, Salamunovich took the post and over the next sixty years, led the choir in the their regular services as well as in a number of high-profile performances, including multiple appearances at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Biennial National Conventions. Most notably, the St. Charles Choir has sung for Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in private audience at the Vatican, for the official Mass of Greeting with the Pope presiding in St. Vibiana's Cathedral in Los Angeles and in St. Peter's Square on the Feasts of St.'s Peter and Paul with the Pope presiding in high Mass. They hold the distinction of being the only American choir to be honored with this invitation. The St. Charles Choir has performed on the soundtracks of the motion pictures, "Flatliners
Flatliners
Flatliners is a 1990 American thriller film starring Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt as medical students using physical science in an attempt to find out if there's anything out there beyond death by conducting clandestine experiments with near-death...
", "Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
" and "True Confessions
True Confessions
True Confessions is a confession magazine targeted at young women readers. It wasoriginally published by Fawcett Publications, beginning in 1922....
" on which he also coached Robert DeNiro on the sung responses of the Latin Mass. They have also performed on television including The NBC Doc Severinson Christmas Special. His St. Charles Boys Choir ghosted as the Disneyland Boys Choir on the original "It's A Small World" album. They also performed on television in the Dinah Shore Chevy Special, The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from 1962 until 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in cast and premise for the 1965-66 season divides the program into two distinct eras; aside from Ball, only Gale Gordon, who joined the program...
, the Bette Davis film, "Dead Ringer
Dead Ringer
Dead Ringer may refer to:* Dead Ringer , an 1981 album by Meat Loaf * Dead Ringer , a 1964 film starring Bette Davis, Peter Lawford, and Karl Malden...
" and on the Soundtrack of "The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
". Former boys choir members include Admiral Michael Mullen
Michael Mullen
Michael Glenn "Mike" Mullen is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2011. Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations from July 22, 2005 to September 29, 2007...
, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and former UCLA football coach, Terry Donahue
Terry Donahue
Terry Donahue is a former American football, player, coach, and executive and, currently, a football analyst. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1976 to 1995, compiling a record of 151–74–8. From 2001 to 2005, Donahue served as...
. He finally retired from his post at St. Charles in June 2009.
He served as Assistant Conductor of the Roger Wagner Chorale from 1953 to 1977. When Wagner formed the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Los Angeles Master Chorale
The Los Angeles Master Chorale is a professional chorus in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1964 by Roger Wagner to be one of the three original resident companies of the Music Center of Los Angeles County...
, Salamunovich also became Assistant Conductor of the Master Chorale. In this capacity, he prepared choirs for numerous performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
, including those conducted by Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
, Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter was a German-born conductor. He is considered one of the best known conductors of the 20th century. Walter was born in Berlin, but is known to have lived in several countries between 1933 and 1939, before finally settling in the United States in 1939...
, Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
, Georg Solti
Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti, KBE, was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. He was a major classical recording artist, holding the record for having received the most Grammy Awards, having personally won 31 as a conductor, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his...
, Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria...
, Valeri Gergiev and Simon Rattle
Simon Rattle
Sir Simon Denis Rattle, CBE is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and since 2002 has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic ....
, among many others.
When the Board of Directors of the Master Chorale and Wagner parted ways in 1986, Wagner recommended Salamunovich to replace him; however, the board decided to ignore Wagner and instead hired Scottish conductor John Currie as Music Director. Currie held the position until the end of the 1991 season; the Master Chorale's board then named Salamunovich as Music Director in January 1991 effective the Fall of that year. "I'm sort of like the prodigal son, come back," Salamunovich said. "My choral heritage is this group."
Once he took over the Master Chorale, Salamunovich set out to restore and even better the signature sound that existed for many years before Currie's tenure. As many insiders already knew, Salamunovich was actually the one who was more responsible for that tone, having led the Chorale in the vast majority of their rehearsals as assistant conductor during that time with Wagner, stepping in to conduct the performances. "I expect to take back your tone about 25 years," Salamunovich told his singers at his first rehearsal as Music Director. "The choir has been top-heavy, very top-heavy. I want to get back to a pyramid blend, to the sound of an over-tone choir." In later interviews with the Los Angeles Times, his approach was described as follows:
The smooth line of Gregorian chantGregorian chantGregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
is the goal, Salamunovich says. So is "looseness": releasing the muscles as if "throwing up." Articulation and audience comprehension too are ongoing themes. Not just diction but the quality of sound should convey meaning, the conductor maintains. "The foundation is built on the male voices. . . . I don't allow the sopranos to override them. I take the growl out of the basses and the ping out of the tenorTenorThe 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...
s. It's a kinder, gentler tone that says 'I love you.' "
He replaced Currie's bright, operatic sound with a kinder and gentler sonority, mellow and blended "with the energy -- or, should I say, foundation of the sound -- coming from the lower voices."
His sound, though initially influenced by Wagner's is more nimble and less heavy without becoming lyrical unless the style of the piece requires it. Salamunovich describes it as "Fervently with passion." As Wagner once said, "Paul, you make them sing the way you sang."
He led the Los Angeles Master Chorale for ten years, during which time he covered a broad range of repertoire from Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
pieces by 16th-century composer Tomas Luis de Vittoria to modern works, most notably those written by Morten Lauridsen
Morten Lauridsen
Morten Johannes Lauridsen is an American composer. He was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and has been a professor of composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for more than 30 years.-Biography:Lauridsen was born February 27, 1943, in...
, the Master Chorale's Composer-in-Residence from 1994 through 2001. "There's not a note I've written over these years in which I didn't have Paul and the unique sound he achieves with the Master Chorale in mind," Lauridsen once said. "The way phrases are put together and melody is created--I always write for them." The relationship between conductor and composer resulted in pieces such as O Magnum Mysterium
O Magnum Mysterium
O Magnum Mysterium is a responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas. A number of composers have reworked the chant into a contemporary setting; the settings by Byrd, Victoria, Gabrieli, Palestrina, Poulenc, Judith Bingham, Harbison, La Rocca, Mäntyjärvi, Pierre Villette, Morales, Lauridsen and...
, Lux Aeterna
Lux Aeterna
Lux Aeterna is an album by Dave Fitzgerald. Released in 1997.This is the second solo album from flute and saxophone player Dave Fitzgerald who was a founding member of Iona. Recorded partly in the studio, and partly in the St...
, and -- written for Salamunovich's 70th birthday -- Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria may refer to:*Ave Maria , the "Hail Mary", a traditional Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus-Music:...
. Salamunovich is also known for his interpretations of the 20th century French composer Maurice Duruflé
Maurice Duruflé
Maurice Duruflé was a French composer, organist, and pedagogue.Duruflé was born in Louviers, Eure. In 1912, he became chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School, where he studied piano and organ with Jules Haelling...
who compositions for orchestra and chorus are based upon chant motifs. Salamunovich prepared the St. Charles Choir for a performance of Durufle's Requiem with the composer conducting in 1967. It was their only meeting and with Salamunovich speaking no French and Duruflé speaking no English, their communication was left almost entirely to the music. Years later, one of Salamunovich's students toured the composer's home in Paris which is curated by the Duruflé Society and found a picture of Salamunovich and Duruflé on the wall some 40 years later commemorating their brief albeit memorable collaboration.
Upon retiring as Music Director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Los Angeles Master Chorale
The Los Angeles Master Chorale is a professional chorus in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1964 by Roger Wagner to be one of the three original resident companies of the Music Center of Los Angeles County...
in 2001, he was immediately named Music Director Emeritus, a title he still holds. He is one of the most in-demand clinicians having conducted almost 1000 workshops and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, South America, Europe, Australia and the Far East. He led the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the Master Chorale of the United States as part of the annual Festival of Sacred Music at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in November 2003.
Choral Legacy
In listening to the groups that Salamunovich has led full-time at the professional, collegiate and church levels as well as his numerous guest conducting positions around the world, it is noteworthy he manages to get his signature sound and interpretation no matter what level of ability the singers possess. He also manages to accomplish this in a remarkably short amount of rehearsal time. His rehearsals are performances in themselves in which his analogies and "word pictures" turn subjective concepts into definable sounds that can immediately be grasped by the singers he conducts. His extremely successful international career as a choral clinician is a testament to his prodigious abilities as a teacher of the choral arts. An especially remarkable footnote to Salamunovich's entire career is he never set out to be a conductor and has never asked for an appointment in his life. Every single post or engagement he's ever accepted was offered to him. What is also noteworthy is his first post as a church choir conductor, typically an entry-level post, yet Salamunovich kept that first position his entire career while ascending up the ranks to the pinnacle of preeminent, American, choral conductors.Academic positions
- Mount St. Mary's CollegeMount St. Mary's CollegeMount St. Mary's College is a private, independent, Catholic liberal arts college, primarily for women, in Los Angeles, California. The college was founded in 1925 by the Sisters of St...
: music faculty for 18 years - Loyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
: music faculty (1964–1990), Director of Choral Activities, named Professor Emeritus in 1993 - USC Thornton School of MusicUSC Thornton School of MusicThe University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999, is one of the premier music schools in the United States...
: Adjunct Professor of Choral Music, Director of the USC Thornton Chamber Choir (2007–2008)
He also holds two honorary doctorates from Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
and the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
.
In addition, he has taught 831 clinics and workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, the Bahamas, Europe, Australia, and the Far East.
Papal audiences
In addition to his 2003 appearances at the Vatican, Salamunovich has led the St. Charles Borromeo choir in three other performances for Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
:
- In 1988, they sang at the Mass for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
presiding in St. Peter's Square in Rome. They are the only American choir ever invited to sing at this occasion. - In 1987, they performed at the Cathedral of Saint VibianaCathedral of Saint VibianaThe Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, often called St. Vibiana's, is a former cathedral church building and parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles...
for the official welcome of the PontiffPontiffA pontiff was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the principal college of priests . The term "pontiff" was later applied to any high or chief priest and, in ecclesiastical usage, to a bishop and more particularly to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope or "Roman Pontiff".-Etymology:The English term derives...
to the City of Los Angeles - In 1985, they performed for the Pope in a private audience in Clementine HallClementine HallThe Clementine Hall is a hall of the Apostolic Palace near St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It was established in the 16th century by Pope Clement VIII in honor of Pope Clement I, the third successor of St. Peter. The Clementine Hall is covered in Renaissance frescoes and valuable works of art...
of the Vatican Palace.
Los Angeles Master Chorale releases
- Lux Aeterna by Morten LauridsenMorten LauridsenMorten Johannes Lauridsen is an American composer. He was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and has been a professor of composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for more than 30 years.-Biography:Lauridsen was born February 27, 1943, in...
(also featuring other Lauridsen works: Chansons des Roses, Ave Maria, Mid-Winter Songs, and O Magnum Mysterium) (RCM) - Dominic Argento's Te Deum and Missa "Cum Jubilo" by Maurice DurufléMaurice DurufléMaurice Duruflé was a French composer, organist, and pedagogue.Duruflé was born in Louviers, Eure. In 1912, he became chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School, where he studied piano and organ with Jules Haelling...
(with Rodney Gilfry as baritone soloist and Frederick SwannFrederick SwannFrederick L. Swann is a prominent American church and concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor, and former president of the American Guild of Organists . During his career spanning more than a half-century, he has performed on most of the well-known pipe organs in the world and made...
on organ (RCM)) - Christmas, a collection of songs (RCM)
Los Angeles Philharmonic releases
- Claude DebussyClaude DebussyClaude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
, Trois nocturnes and La Damoiselle Elué, Esa-Pekka SalonenEsa-Pekka SalonenEsa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish orchestral conductor and composer. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.-Early career:...
conducting (Sony Classics) - Gustav MahlerGustav MahlerGustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
, Symphony No. 3, Esa-Pekka SalonenEsa-Pekka SalonenEsa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish orchestral conductor and composer. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.-Early career:...
conducting (Sony Classics)
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra releases
- Rodgers & Hammerstein, The King & I, John MauceriJohn MauceriJohn Francis Mauceri is an American conductor, producer and arranger for theatre, opera and television. For fifteen years, he served on the faculty of Yale University. He was a protege of Leonard Bernstein...
conducting (Phillips Classics) - SchoenbergSchoenbergSchoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
/Ravel, Earth Day, John MauceriJohn MauceriJohn Francis Mauceri is an American conductor, producer and arranger for theatre, opera and television. For fifteen years, he served on the faculty of Yale University. He was a protege of Leonard Bernstein...
conducting (Phillips Classics) - Hollywood Nightmares (various composers), John MauceriJohn MauceriJohn Francis Mauceri is an American conductor, producer and arranger for theatre, opera and television. For fifteen years, he served on the faculty of Yale University. He was a protege of Leonard Bernstein...
conducting (Phillips Classics)
DVD
- "Choral Perspectives: Paul Salamunovich, Chant and Beyond" (2007), a documentary released by Hal Leonard Publishing
Motion picture and TV work
Salamunovich has been responsible for choral music for over 100 film and TV productions including "The Godfather" "Angels and Demons" First Knight, Air Force One, A.I., Sum of All Fears, XXX, Peter Pan, Flatliners, ER, The Sum of All Fears, and Cirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
's Journey of Man. He coached Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
in Latin for the role of a priest in True Confessions in addition to preparing the choir for that movie.
His St. Charles Borromeo choir appeared with Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
and Doc Severinson in the NBC Christmas Eve Special, while the boy choir has been featured on television on "The Lucy Show" and with Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
in the "Chevy Show." His St. Charles Boy's Choir appeared as the Disneyland Boys Choir on the original Disney album, "It's A Small World".
Awards and recognition
- Papal knighthood in the Order of St. Gregory the GreatOrder of St. Gregory the GreatThe Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
- "Distinguished Artist Award" from the Music Center of Los Angeles County (1995)
- "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the American Choral Directors Association (2000)
- Grammy nomination for recording of Lux Aeterna and other choral works by Morten LauridsenMorten LauridsenMorten Johannes Lauridsen is an American composer. He was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and has been a professor of composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for more than 30 years.-Biography:Lauridsen was born February 27, 1943, in...