Dates

• Existence: 1918 - 2005

Biographical History

Ralph Woodward (1918-2005) was a professor of music at Brigham Young University and a prominent Latter-day Saint composer and conductor.

Ralph Woodward was born in Shelley, Idaho, on November 21, 1918, to Alonzo R. "Lon" Woodward and Alta Mary Stanley. He completed high school in Moreland, Idaho, and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1940. In 1942, he married vocalist Margaret Barclay. The couple were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1953. Margaret Woodward died in 1987. He remarried to Mary Brown Firmage in 1988.

He began his music career a high school music teacher in Idaho. After serving as a Special Services Officer in Japan after World War II he pursued his graduate studies in Cincinnati. He taught voice and choral music at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and then moved to Provo in 1955. He taught voice and conducting at Brigham Young University (BYU) until his retirement in 1984.

During his tenure at BYU, Ralph Woodward, a recipient of the Utah Music Educator and the Utah State Chamber of Commerce "Total Citizen" awards, served as director of choral activities and helped the university become one of the preeminent music schools in the United States. His trademark was the BYU A Cappella Choir, which was the first non-Roman Catholic choir to be invited to sing in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris three times. It also won the prestigious International Eisteddfod competition in Llangollen, Wales, and was the only U.S. musical organization to perform at the International Society of Music Educators' Convention in Warsaw, Poland, in 1980. He won various awards including the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award. He conducted the BYU Chamber Choir, Schola Cantorum, Oratorio Choir and established the Male Chorus. He also guest-conducted choirs throughout the U.S., including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

In 1965, he formed the Ralph Woodward Chorale, which ended in 1994 when he and his wife served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinios. Two years prior to his mission, he was an honoree of the Western Region Convention of the American Choral Directors' Association in Honolulu, Hawaii. An active member of the LDS church, he was a member of the Sunday School General Board and the Church General Music Committee, where he wrote several church-music guidebooks. He died on September 6, 2005.

Citation:

Deseret News online obituaries website, viewed May 4, 2011 (Ralph Woodward; b. in Shelley, Idaho, Nov. 21, 1918, to Alonzo R. "Lon" Woodward and Alta Mary Stanley; high school in Moreland, Idaho; graduated from the University of Idaho, 1940; m. Margaret Barclay, 1942; sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, 1953; Margaret Woodward died, 1987; remarried Mary Brown Firmage, 1988; high school music teacher in Idaho; Special Services Officer in Japan after World War II; graduate studies in Cincinnati; taught voice and choral music at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa; moved to Provo, 1955; taught voice and conducting at BYU; retired, 1984; recipient of the Utah Music Educator and the Utah State Chamber of Commerce "Total Citizen" award; director of choral activities at BYU; BYU A Cappella Choir won International Eisteddfod competition in Llangollen, Wales; only U.S. musical organization to perform at the International Society of Music Educators' Convention in Warsaw, Poland, 1980; won the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award; conducted the BYU Chamber Choir, Schola Cantorum, Oratorio Choir and established the Male Chorus; guest-conducted choirs throughout the U.S., including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; formed the Ralph Woodward Chorale, 1965-1994; served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Ill; honoree of the Western Region Convention of the American Choral Directors' Association in Honolulu, Hawaii; member of the Sunday School General Board and the Church General Music Committee; wrote several church-music guidebooks; died September 6, 2005)

Found in 9 Collections and/or Records: