ABOUT TIM HARBOLD
As a composer and conductor, I hope to create music that moves us, body and spirit. I want us to share a musical experience that breathes, sighs, pulses, and jumps, freeing our hearts to sing!
For nearly 30 years, I conducted the choirs at Wheaton College in Norton, MA, leading singers and audiences in an expressive exploration of music spanning 10 centuries, 6 continents, and over 30 languages. My choirs have collaborated with visiting artist specialists to explore distinctive styles ranging from Bulgarian folk songs to Brazilian jazz, to vocal traditions of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. We’ve concertized with the Grammy-nominated Skylark Vocal Ensemble, improvised with the King’s Singers at the college pub, and received coaching from Simon Carrington, Rockapella, Take 6, and Roomful of Teeth. Since retiring from Wheaton, I am enjoying more time for arranging and composing. Listeners and reviewers have praised my compositions as "transporting," "rousing," "scrumptious," and "gloriously inventive." Accessible for singers and audiences alike, my works have been received enthusiastically by school, church, and community choruses, as well as all-state and professional choirs. Publishers include Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Hinshaw Music, and E.C. Schirmer. My newest works have now been recorded by the professional chamber choir Ensemble Altera, under the direction of Christopher Lowrey. Spirituals and gospel arrangements feature prominently in my catalog, emerging organically from decades of experience directing gospel choirs. This gratifying work began by chance: An interim organist gig at a Black Baptist church led to 6 years directing their gospel choir, which led to further gospel choir appointments and opportunities to collaborate with many of Boston’s leading gospel musicians. I now direct a multicultural gospel choir at the historic Old South Church in Boston, where we recently had the honor of performing at Boston’s venerable MLK breakfast, attended by the governor, mayor, congressional representatives, and an audience of 1000. As a pianist, I have specialized in American song, performing with vocalist Valerie Anastasio. Our shows have blended jazz standards, show tunes, and comic cabaret with our own distinctive musicianship and humor. We've paired with Benjamin Sears and Bradford Conner to create popular shows celebrating Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Irving Berlin, Ethel Merman and Fred Astaire. This cabaret work has led to four CDs and a Best Cabaret nomination from the Independent Reviewers of New England. |
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Tim Harbold Professor of Music and Choral Director Emeritus Wheaton College, Norton, MA [email protected] |