William T. Appling

APPLING --William T. Renowned conductor, pianist, and educator William Appling passed away on Friday, August 29, 2008. He was 75 and lived in Poughkeepsie, NY. In 1979, Mr. Appling founded William Appling Singers & Orchestra (WASO) in Cleveland, Ohio, a professional ensemble dedicated to performing music of all periods, and particularly the works of American composers. WASO released four critically acclaimed recordings on the New World and Albany record labels and premiered numerous contemporary works. While in Ohio, WASO presented many concerts and performed at venues including Severance Hall and the Blossom Music Center. Relocating to Poughkeepsie in 1989 when Mr. Appling was appointed Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College, WASO presented concerts at Lincoln Center, Bard College and many other venues, both as its own entity and under the auspices of the Bard Music Festival and American Symphony Orchestra. In 1996, WASO was one of the only professional musical organizations in the United States to present concerts celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of American composer William Billings. Early in his career as educator in the Cleveland area, Mr. Appling was Choral Director for Glenville High School where under his direction the choir received widespread acclaim and was invited to sing at the the Ohio Music Education Association in Columbus, Ohio, and the New York World's Fair. The choir also sang a sold-out recital in Severance Hall in 1965. At Case Institute of Technology, he conducted the Men's Glee Club, which toured Europe and gave concerts in Germany, Switzerland, France and Luxembourg. While in Ohio, he was also Music Director of the West Shore Chorale and the Cleveland Philharmonic Chorus. He served on the faculty for 25 years at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, and was Director of Music there for many years. While at WRA, Mr. Appling founded and directed Summer Music Experience, an international six-week program offering intensive music training and performance experience to gifted students of high school age. The music camp/festival involved members of the Cleveland Orchestra and included visiting artists and master classes with Robert Shaw, Andre Watts, Janos Starker, Lynn Harrell and Lorin Maazel. William Appling received numerous honors during his career, including the first Kulas Foundation Fellowship Award for Choral Conducting with the Cleveland Orchestra, during which time he assisted George Szell and Robert Shaw. He also enjoyed an active career as a pianist, appearing in solo recital at Town Hall, New York City, concerto performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, at the Aspen Festival under Darius Milhaud, and in duo recital with tenor Seth McCoy. Mr. Appling most recently recorded the complete piano works of Scott Joplin. A celebration of William Appling's life will take place in 2009. Gifts in his memory may be made to the Henry Street Settlement, 265 Henry St., New York, NY 10002. Further information is available at WASO's web site: www.muzen.com/waso.html.