The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has announced the creation of the Florence Kopleff Choral Administrator Chair in perpetuity, honoring the contralto Florence Kopleff, who died on July 24, 2012. Jeffrey Baxter, who currently holds the ASO’s choral administrator position, will be the first holder of the Chair. Kopleff performed in the Robert Shaw Chorale for many years. The contralto came to Atlanta in 1968 to become a professor of voice at Georgia State University, where she remained for 30 years and was named the school’s first artist in residence. With the encouragement of Robert Shaw, she maintained an active solo career, performing with conductors including George Szell, Charles Munch, and Eugene Ormandy. “The spirit and energy she embodied as a singer and teacher were contagious, and her dedication to our ASO Chorus is particularly special to the orchestra,” said ASO President Stanley E. Romanstein. “By naming this chair in her honor, we are ensuring her legacy will live on for generations to come.”
Posted August 6, 2012
