Vance George

Vance George is internationally recognized as one of America’s leading choral conductors. Under his direction the San Francisco Symphony Chorus has been hailed as one of the finest in the world. On their behalf he has accepted four Grammy Awards: Best Performance of a Choral Work for Orff’s Carmina Burana in 1992 and Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem in 1995, and Best Classical Album of the Year for Stravinsky’s Perséphone in 2000 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 in 2004. He also conducted the San Francisco Chorus and Orchestra in works ranging from Bach’s Mass in B Minor to Carmina Burana. TV and film credits include an Emmy for Sweeney Todd in 2002 and soundtracks for Amadeus, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and The Godfather: Part III.

Vance George’s work embodies the legacy of the great maestros he has known as protégé and colleague, especially Robert Shaw, Julius Herford, Margaret Hillis, Robert Page, Otto Werner-Mueller, and Mary Oyer. He has received great acclaim for his unique knowledge of musical styles, languages, vocal colors, and his synthesis of the choral-orchestral tradition. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Kent State University, and the Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art from Chorus America.