Robert Fountain to be honored by Isthmus Vocal Ensemble
Legendary University of Wisconsin-Madison choral conductor Robert Fountain was born December 26, 1917, making 2017 his centennial year. Isthmus Vocal Ensemble Artistic Director Scott MacPherson studied under Fountain, and has chosen to honor his mentor in this year’s concerts. From the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble website: “Dr. Fountain’s profound influence touched the lives of many of the singers in IVE, and we look forward to honoring his legacy through song. It also marks the final year that IVE will sing under our founding director, Dr. MacPherson. Those of us who sang under both musicians feel deeply blessed and fortunate.” MacPherson shared some thoughts on Fountain and the concerts recently with Madison music blogger Jacob Stockinger, and you may read them on The Well-Tempered Ear. Here are the dates and locations for the concerts:
Friday, August 4, 2017
7:30 pm
High Point Church
7702 Old Sauk Road
Madison, WI 53717
Sunday, August 6, 2017
3:00 pm
George L. Mosse Humanities Building
455 N Park St
Madison, WI 53706
See the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble website for tickets and program information.
Mills Music Library is pleased to house the Robert Fountain Collection as part of the Wisconsin Music Archives. The Collection contains the recorded archives of Robert Fountain, some 350 recordings in open reel and cassette formats documenting the history of choral music from 1971, when he joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty as Director of Choral Activities, to 1994, when he retired. UW Archives houses the Robert Fountain papers, 1970-1994.
In addition to the Robert Fountain Collection, we have numerous recordings available for circulation from his years here, as well as the twelve years Fountain was conductor of Singing and Choral Activities at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music (1948 until 1970). One of our circulating recordings, Deep River: The Performance Encores of Robert Fountain, includes program notes by Isthmus Vocal Ensemble Artistic Director Scott MacPherson. Robert Fountain’s legacy will continue to be honored here at Mills Music Library, and at UW Archives, after these concerts conclude.
