2002 All-State Chorus & Orchestra Guest Conductors

Dr. Paul A. Torkelson
Wartburg College, Waverly, IA

Comments from an interview during Friday afternoon rehearsal:
How do you get the chorus members enthused and involved?
Are you surprised that such a large chorus can work together?
What is your biggest challenge when working with a large group?
How do you value activities like within the education process?
How do you measure a successful concert?

Dr. Paul A. Thorkelson is currently professor of music and director of choral activities at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Warburg College, a Master of Music degree from Kansas State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado. Dr. Thorklson is currently conducting The Wartburg Choir, and teaching advanced conducting and private voice. His articles have been published in the Research Memorandum Series of the American Choral Review, and in 1984, he received the Louise Goucher Memorial Scholarship from the American Choral Foundation for work in madrigal performance. He presented a session at the 1998 ACDA North-Central Division Convention on Renaissance performance practice, discussing rhythmic complexities in the music of early Reformation composers. He is a frequent guest clinician at state ACDA conventions, and has conducted several All-State choirs throughout the United States. In 1996, he conducted the 50^th Anniversary Iowa All-State Choir, and in 1998 he conducted the North Central ACDA Collegiate Honor Choir in Minneapolis, MN sharing the podium with Anton Armstrong. In the summer of 2000 he conducted the Iowa Ambassadors of Music on a three week European tour, and returned to Europe with the ensemble in the summer of 2002.

Under his direction, the Wartburg Choir has performed at the American Choral Directors Association national convention in 1987, and the North Central regional convention in 1988, 1992 and 1998. In 1989, Dr. Thorkelson made his conducting debut with the Manhattan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Wartburg Choir in concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Wartburg Choir, under his direction, toured Europe in 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1999 performing sixteen concerts including a solo concert in the Festsaal at the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany. This concert was filmed by Iowa Public Television for broadcast in September of 1999. The Choir returned to Eisenach, Germany in May of 2000 for several performances and traveled to Europe again in 2002 for a five-week tour.

Dr. Torkelson recently assumed the leadership of the Metropolitan Chorale in Waterloo, IA. Under his direction, the Chorale performed several concerts with orchestra including the Dvorak Stabat Mater, Michael Haydn Requiem Mass, Poulene Gloria, Rossini Stabat Mater, Mozart Requiem Mass and and Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabeus. The ensemble, which consists of approximately 100 voices from the Waterloo metro area, was invited to perform in Prague in the summer of 2002.

James A. Biddlecome
North Jersey Philharmonic, Teaneck, NJ

Comments from an interview during Friday afternoon rehearsal:
Talk about your career as a musician and conductor.
Do you have a conducting style?
What are the challenges for your in working with a large group like this?
Do you have a favorite selection on the concert program?
What is your view of the fine arts in education?
Tell us about your experience of starting a new performing group.
What is your view of financial support for the arts?
What experiences do you hope to take back to New Jersey?
By what measure will this be a successful concert?

 Biddlecome has had a long and varied career. He began his musical studies with Claude Shappelle at Somerville (NJ) High School. He attended the Juilliard School of Music from 1956 to 1960 where he majored in trombone with the late Roger Smith. From 1961 to 1963 he was a member of the US Army Field Band returning to New York City in the fall of 1963. He has played with the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, the Goldman Band and the New Hampshire Music Festival. Mr. Biddlecome has been a regular member of the New York City Opera Orchestra for the past 33 years and is, additionally, the Assistant Orchestra Librarian. He has also played with the Group for Contemporary Music, the Brooklyn Philharmonic and was, for eight years, principal trombonist of the Caramoor Music Festival.

Mr. Biddlecome has also been personnel manager for the National Grand Opera and has held the same position for the New York Grand Opera for more than twenty-five years. In 1974 he was asked to form a concert band at Mount Saint Mary Academy in North Plainfield, NJ where he remained as band director until 1980 when playing commitments required his resignation. It was there that he developed a keen interest in teaching and conducting. For several years he appeared as a regular guest conductor of the Queens Symphonic Band and has for many years taught privately. In January of 2002, Mr. Biddlecome was appointed Music Director of the North Jersey Philharmonic, one of the oldest professional community orchestras in New Jersey. Currently still a member of the NYCO Orchesta, he recently created the NYCO Education Department’s Opera in a Nutshell, a program for young instrumental musicians for which he is the director and conductor. The Nutshell programs presented, so far, have been Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s La boheme and Puccini’s Tosca. Additionally, Mr. Biddlecome has conducted the All North Jersey High School Orchestra (Region I All-State) and the West Virginia All-State Orchestra.

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