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Woodward, Ralph, 1918-2005

 Person

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:

Ralph Woodward awards, 1948-2004

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 6
Scope and Contents

Contains framed, freestanding, and plaque awards presented to Ralph Woodward for lifetime services, teaching, and musical accomplishements, 1948-2004.

Dates: 1948-2004

Ralph Woodward personal papers, 1966-2005

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains a collection of programs for music deptament concerts, Ralph Woodward Chorale rosters and tour programs, personal papers and speech manuscripts, newspapers clippings, correspondence, and funeral programs, 1966-2005.

Dates: 1966-2005

Ralph Woodward photographs and slides, 1959-1987

 Series — Box 6: Series 4
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains a collection of slides and photographs depicting Male Chorus, conducting, and choirs, 1959-1987.

Dates: 1959-1987

Ralph Woodward scrapbooks and journals, 1968-1994

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains scrapbooks, cards, memoranda, and journals concerning A Cappella Choir tours, and memories and experiences of Ralph Woodward Chorale as written by its members, 1968-1994.

Dates: 1968-1994

Ralph Woodward thesis, 1964

 Series — Box 3: Series 2
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains two copies of Ralph Woodward's thesis entitled "The Large Sacred Choral Works of Franz Liszt," 1964.

Dates: 1964

Ralph Woodward yearbooks and autobiography, 1937-1948

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7814 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains yearbooks from the University of Idaho, some of which are signed by friends, for the years 1936, 1937, 1939, and 1940. It also includes a yearbook from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music from 1948, and a copy of Ralph Woodward's autobiography entitled "This is My Story".

Dates: 1937-1948

Ralph Woodward papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 7814
Scope and Contents

This collection contains personal papers, a copy of Ralph Woodward's thesis on Liszt, yearbooks from his time at university, photographs and slides of his musical career, scrapbooks, correspondence, and other memorabilia from his students and members of the BYU A Cappella tours, journals, and awards relating to Ralph Woodward, 1937-2005.

Dates: 1937-2005

Ralph Woodward photograph

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230352301]
Identifier: MSS 7432
Abstract

Collection contains one photograph.

Dates: 1942

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 6
Collection 2
Digital Record 1
 
Subject
Music 8
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 7
Photographs 3
Awards 2
Dissertations, Academic 2