Taylor Is Replaced As Choral Director

After 17 years of singing under Beverly Taylor, the Radcliffe Choral Society (RCS) will be performing with a new conductor next fall.

Jameson N. Marvin, Harvard-Radcliffe's director of choral activities and a senior lecturer in the Music Department, will replace Taylor.

The change was welcomed by student members of RCS. And Marvin, the current director of two other Holden choirs, Glee Club and Collegium Musicum, said he is looking forward to the turnover.

"I'm more than enthusiastic about conducting RCS as well as Glee Club and Collegium Musicum," Marvin said. "This will ensure continuity."

Taylor, Harvard-Radcliffe's associate director of choral activities for close to two decades, said she is also eagerly anticipating the change.

"I've taken a terrific job, and I'm very excited about it. The tough part is saying goodbye," she said. "After 17 years, it's hard to do it right, though I'm looking forward to my new duties."

Taylor will be moving to Madison, Wis., to assume the responsibilities of director of choral activities and associate professor of music at the University of Wisconsin.

Her resignation signals the beginning of a new era for the Holden Choirs. Taylor's old job will be revamped into a new position, which will share the management of RCS, Gle Club and Collegium Musicum with Marvin. A nationwide search to fill the position will begin next fall, and Marvin will conduct the three choirs in theinterim.

The upcoming changes were part of Taylor'simpetus for leaving. "I would have to reapply formy job in two years," she said. "Jim Marvin wantsto restructure the choral department, and I'm notsure if the restructured positions would be theright thing for me, if I would be right for them.This [new] job offers an opportunity forleadership, better hours and better pay."

According to Marvin, the management of thechoirs was ready for a change.

"Bev's position as an associate director wasnever meant as a permanent position where thecontract would be renewed year after year," Marvinsaid. "I have felt for a long time the need tochange the position. The job has never beenabsolutely clear."

"Bev and I have been following two paralleltracks for a while," he continued. "While we'veworked together on combined works, like the bigspring concert, or on auditions, and she conductedfor me when I took a leave of absence, I felt itwould be a good plan for me to conduct all threegroups."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III ascribedthe changes to Marvin's vision of the program,citing an ongoing effort "to equalize the standingof groups to make sure that everyone has the sameexperience, to ensure that the program has unity."

"We want this change to make the choirs a jointventure--so that we're not dividing up the choralworld permanently," Epps said.

The reorganization of the choral program mayprovide a remedy for the long-standing complaintthat RCS has been perceived as the "lesser" of theHolden choirs.

Both Marvin and current RCS president MelindaMaynor '95 said the change may help.

"We're doing this so that all the groups areunder one umbrella, and share equal enthusiasm andopportunity," Marvin said. "I think the changewill be invigorating."

Maynor agreed.

"RCS is excited about Jim--it will give us avisibility we haven't had before. Of course, we'reconcerned with maintaining our musical and socialintegrity as a women's group," she said. "Butwe're psyched that we're actually going to be putinto motion, rather than stagnating."

While some expressed concern about Marvin'sdemanding dynamism--a striking contrast toTaylor's more laid-back style--many RCS memberssaid they were ready for the transition.

"Some people have expressed concern about thechange, and are worried about having a man as aconductor, but I think it's more empowering to beable to sing really well than to be conducted by awoman and I think we'll sing better under Jim,"said Sarah E. Streck '97.

"I think this will be a good transition, andchange the nature of some of our concerts," sheadded.

The performances aren't the only part of thechoral program which will change, however. The newposition will lead to a more flexible relationshipbetween the two conductors, according to Epps andMarvin.

"This has taken three years to formulate,"Marvin said. "The associate conductor will be ateam position. I'll be doing two-thirds tothree-fifths of the work in any given year, andthe associate conductor will be dealing with therest of it."

But Epps, who has been involved in the processof overhauling the choir management, said thatMarvin will retain top authority, even with themore egalitarian structure. "He will be primusinter pares, first among equals, due toseniority and experience," Epps said.

The choir-conductor relationships will also bemore flexible than they have been in the past.Rather than conducting only Glee Club andCollegium, and leaving RCS to the AssociateConductor, "We'll share the three groups on aproject by project basis--perhaps even on asemester by semester or a year by year basis,"Marvin said.

RCS member Caprice A. Corona '97 said she wasdelighted with the reorganization.

"Personally, I think that the group is readyfor a change. He'll be good for us musically.Bev's personality was unique, but I thinkeverybody is looking forward to the turnover.

The upcoming changes were part of Taylor'simpetus for leaving. "I would have to reapply formy job in two years," she said. "Jim Marvin wantsto restructure the choral department, and I'm notsure if the restructured positions would be theright thing for me, if I would be right for them.This [new] job offers an opportunity forleadership, better hours and better pay."

According to Marvin, the management of thechoirs was ready for a change.

"Bev's position as an associate director wasnever meant as a permanent position where thecontract would be renewed year after year," Marvinsaid. "I have felt for a long time the need tochange the position. The job has never beenabsolutely clear."

"Bev and I have been following two paralleltracks for a while," he continued. "While we'veworked together on combined works, like the bigspring concert, or on auditions, and she conductedfor me when I took a leave of absence, I felt itwould be a good plan for me to conduct all threegroups."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III ascribedthe changes to Marvin's vision of the program,citing an ongoing effort "to equalize the standingof groups to make sure that everyone has the sameexperience, to ensure that the program has unity."

"We want this change to make the choirs a jointventure--so that we're not dividing up the choralworld permanently," Epps said.

The reorganization of the choral program mayprovide a remedy for the long-standing complaintthat RCS has been perceived as the "lesser" of theHolden choirs.

Both Marvin and current RCS president MelindaMaynor '95 said the change may help.

"We're doing this so that all the groups areunder one umbrella, and share equal enthusiasm andopportunity," Marvin said. "I think the changewill be invigorating."

Maynor agreed.

"RCS is excited about Jim--it will give us avisibility we haven't had before. Of course, we'reconcerned with maintaining our musical and socialintegrity as a women's group," she said. "Butwe're psyched that we're actually going to be putinto motion, rather than stagnating."

While some expressed concern about Marvin'sdemanding dynamism--a striking contrast toTaylor's more laid-back style--many RCS memberssaid they were ready for the transition.

"Some people have expressed concern about thechange, and are worried about having a man as aconductor, but I think it's more empowering to beable to sing really well than to be conducted by awoman and I think we'll sing better under Jim,"said Sarah E. Streck '97.

"I think this will be a good transition, andchange the nature of some of our concerts," sheadded.

The performances aren't the only part of thechoral program which will change, however. The newposition will lead to a more flexible relationshipbetween the two conductors, according to Epps andMarvin.

"This has taken three years to formulate,"Marvin said. "The associate conductor will be ateam position. I'll be doing two-thirds tothree-fifths of the work in any given year, andthe associate conductor will be dealing with therest of it."

But Epps, who has been involved in the processof overhauling the choir management, said thatMarvin will retain top authority, even with themore egalitarian structure. "He will be primusinter pares, first among equals, due toseniority and experience," Epps said.

The choir-conductor relationships will also bemore flexible than they have been in the past.Rather than conducting only Glee Club andCollegium, and leaving RCS to the AssociateConductor, "We'll share the three groups on aproject by project basis--perhaps even on asemester by semester or a year by year basis,"Marvin said.

RCS member Caprice A. Corona '97 said she wasdelighted with the reorganization.

"Personally, I think that the group is readyfor a change. He'll be good for us musically.Bev's personality was unique, but I thinkeverybody is looking forward to the turnover.