Role

:

Conductor Performer

Birth

:

April 26, 1932 in Minneapolis, MN

Death

:

February 20, 2008 in Norwalk, CT

Genre

:

Choral

 

Richard Westenburg was born on January 16, 1932, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he studied music and earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1954. After graduation, Westenburg moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. He began working as a freelance conductor and pianist, performing with various orchestras and ensembles. In 1964, he founded the Musica Sacra choir, which specialized in performing sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the present day. Under Westenburg's leadership, Musica Sacra quickly gained a reputation for excellence. The choir performed regularly at Carnegie Hall and other prestigious venues, and recorded several albums for the RCA label. In 1977, Musica Sacra won a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance for their recording of Handel's "Messiah." In addition to his work with Musica Sacra, Westenburg also conducted other orchestras and choirs. He served as the music director of the New York City Opera from 1982 to 1985, and conducted several productions at the Metropolitan Opera. He also conducted the American Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others. Throughout his career, Westenburg was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to bring out the best in his performers. He was particularly skilled at conducting choral music, and was widely regarded as one of the finest choral conductors of his generation. Westenburg retired from conducting in 2009, but remained active in the music world as a teacher and mentor. He taught at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, and served as a guest conductor and clinician for choirs and orchestras around the world. Over the course of his career, Westenburg received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In addition to the Grammy Award, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1998, and was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Richard Westenburg passed away on March 16, 2019, at the age of 87. He is remembered as a gifted musician and conductor, and a beloved mentor to generations of musicians.

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