John Bertalot (Choral Conductor)

Born: 1931 - Kent, England

The English choral conductor, John Bertalot, won Organ scholarships to the Royal College of Music, London, and to Oxford and Cambridge.

After his studies, John Bertalot first appointment was Director of Music for 6 years of St. Matthew's Church, Northampton, UK (a successor of Alec Wyton), the church for which Britten wrote Rejoice in the Lamb. He then became director of music at Blackburn Cathedral (for 18 years) where he founded the Blackburn Bach Choir and was Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

In moving to the USA, John Bertalot has been Director of Music for 16 years of Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ. succeeding Dr James Litton. He led for sixteen years one of the most ambitious Episcopal Church music programmes in the USA, where he founded the acclaimed Princeton Singers. He was also Adjunct Associate Professor, Westminster Choir College, Rider University. In over forty years of professional music-making he has led choral workshops all over the world. He has directed courses for the RSCM in UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

In 1998 John Bertalot ‘retired’ to the UK where his time has been filled with leading choral workshops, adjudicating at music festivals and composing. He is also organist of a village church in the middle of the Lancashire countryside, where he still puts into practice all his choir-training techniques.

John Bertalot has published four best-selling books on choir training: Five Wheels to Successful Sight-Singing (Augsburg Fortress), Immediately Practical Tips For Choral Directors (Augsburg Fortress), How to be a Successful Choir Director (Kevin Mayhew), Teaching Adults to Sight Sing (Kevin Mayhew). His compositions are well-known in Great Britain and the USA. His many compositions are widely published.

Source: RSCM America Website; Kevin Mayhew Publishers Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2005)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Kurt Masur

Chorus Master

BWV 244 [w/ Princeton Trinity Chorus]

Links to other Sites

John Bertalot (RSCM America)

Composer John Bertalot (Kevin Mayhew Publishers)