William Ifor Jones - Biography

Biography

Jones emigrated to the United States in early 1930. He conducted the New Chamber Orchestra in Philadelphia, and The Tudor Singers in Bethlehem, PA. He taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD, and at Rutgers University - Douglas College in New Brunswick, NJ. While at Rutgers, he formed a glee club and also performed the complete Organ Works of Johann Sebastian Bach.

At the Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music, New York City, he led conducting courses for choirmasters. He was involved with the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood, and taught many Summer School Workshops, Clinics and Seminars.

He was at various times organist at the Presbyterian Church in Bound Brook, New Jersey, at the Broadway Tabernacle in New York City, and at the Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, PA. He also worked with the Handel Choir in Westfield, NJ, at the Bach Youth Chorale in Bethlehem, PA, and led the Cantata Singers in Quakertown, PA.

In 1939, he made his debut as the third Conductor of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem. On February 18, 1946, at Carnegie Hall, the choir performed Bach's Mass in B minor with Ifor Jones, conductor; Ruth Diehl, soprano; Lilian Knowles, contralto; Lucius Metz, tenor; Calvin Marsh, baritone; Edwin Steffe, bass; E. Power Biggs, organ; The Philadelphia Orchestra. In the following year, an estimated 9,200 people attended a performance of The Mass in B Minor at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Ifor Jones conducted The Choir and members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

  • 1948 - The Choir records Cantata #78 for Victor Records.
  • 1956 - March 27, Carnegie Hall. Johann Sebastian Bach - Mass in b minor

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem with Ifor Jones, conductor; Phyllis Curtin, soprano; Eunice Alberts, contralto; John McCollum, tenor; Mack Harrell, bass; Vernon De Tar, organ; The Philadelphia Orchestra.

  • 1957 - The 50th Bach Festival is held. Ifor Jones opens the Thursday evening rehearsal to the community.
  • 1959 - The Bach Festival Orchestra makes its first appearance, at the May Festival, replacing the Philadelphia Orchestra.
  • 1962 - The 55th Bach Festival is dedicated to Albert Schweitzer, with a letter from Schweitzer printed in the program.

In October 1965, the Choir sang at the International Choral Festival, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Handel and Haydn Society in Symphony Hall, Boston.

  • 1969 - Ifor Jones retires as Conductor of the Choir.

His only known television appearance with the choir was on The Bell Telephone Hour, conducting "Going to Bethlehem"

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