Conrad Askland

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Yet more old archives going through ancient boxes. This is a letter to me January 28, 1980 from Steve Stevens, director of the Northwest Boychoir (Mr. Stevens currently directs the Columbia Choirs http://www.columbiachoirs.com). I was in the Northwest Boychoir (Seattle, WA) from around 1976-1979. In late December 1979 my voice had changed and I finally had to leave the group. He is referring to my final concerts as Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Seattle Opera in December 1979. I have great memories of that show working with Archie Drake and Shirley Harnett.

I think I blogged about this once before. The final show my voice was full throttle in it’s change and I was starting to crack on some of my high notes. It was very embarrassing for me the last show, which was the one that Steve Stevens attended. I still remember the feeling of disappointment knowing he was in the audience. For a boy soprano it is the strangest experience to go from having full control over an agile instrument, to suddenly losing control here and there without notice. I read recently that even Pavarotti stopped singing for a year after his voice changed. It’s very tramautic for boy sopranos.

So here’s his letter. Thank you to Steve Stevens for your wonderful training and coaching I received in my youth, and also to the previous NWBC director George Fiore. The Northwest Boychoir website is at http://www.northwestchoirs.org/

Why is the letter of any significance? For me it was the bell tolling a confirmation that a time I knew would never be again….

Begin letter:

Dear Conrad:

It is always a hard thing to say “good-bye” to important members of the choir. All choirboys are important to me, but there are some like you who are even more important because they are leaders and because they show over and over that they genuinely care about their involvement with the boychoir. You were one of those, Conrad. I am very proud of what you accomplished in the choir. Your earning of the Touring Choir Boy of the Year award is a fitting tribute to your industriousness and your creativity.

It was a big thrill to me to see you in Amahl, even though I could hear it was a strain on your voice. I was struck by your acting ability, Conrad. I feel that you have really good possibilities in that area and would encourage you to pursue that for a while.

You and the other boys who went on tour last summer will always have a special place in my memory and in the history of the choir because you were the first to travel internationally representing the choir.

Please keep me informed of any and all future accomplishments. I will always be pleased to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Steve Stevens

(Director – Northwest Boychoir)

STEVE STEVENS – COLUMBIA CHOIRS

Steve Stevens currently directs the Columbia Choirs of Metropolitan Seattle. Visit their website at http://www.columbiachoirs.com

STEVE STEVENS: Founder-Artistic Director Columbia Choirs

Columbia Choirs founder-artistic director, Steve Stevens, started the choirs in February, 1985. He conducts the Boys Choir, the Concert Choir (boys and girls), Vocal Ensemble (Youth Choir) and Con Brio Women’s Choir. He is one of the most experienced conductors of community based children’s choirs in the United States. A native of Texas (Fort Worth), he began his musical studies at age 6 with the study of piano (studied 14 years). The turning point in his life came with his successful membership in the famed Texas Boys Choir of Fort Worth (the group Igor Stravinsky called “the best boys choir in the world.”) It was in those boyhood years he discovered his gift for singing and decided to pursue music as a career.

Mr. Stevens is a professional singer and conductor. He earned a BA (voice and all-level music education) from Houston Baptist University. Following the study and performance of opera in Europe, he completed his post-graduate studies at Southern Methodist University, achieving a M.Mus. in Choral Conducting. He has conducted the Texas Boys Choir (1971-77), the Northwest Boychoir (1977-84), founded and conducted the Northwest Youthchoir (1982-84). He founded the Columbia Boys Choir (February, 1985 to present), Columbia Girls Choir (1988 to present) and Columbia Vocal Ensemble (formerly Columbia Singers 1989 to present), “Con Brio” Women’s Choir (formerly Young Women’s Ensemble 1989-) and Columbia Men’s Ensemble (2004). He is also the choral director at Woodinville High School (since 1992; Northshore School District). Choirs under his direction have consistently won international acclaim for their high standard of singing artistry and musicianship. His choirs have performed in United States, Australia, British Isles, Canada, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Russia and Scandinavia. They have also appeared on national network television in the U.S.A., Europe, Japan and Russia and have sung for a President of the U.S., the Pope, and for members of the British Royal Family.

Conrad Askland circa 1993.

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This is a portrait sketched of me as a young child. There is no artist signature on the drawing – best guess on painter’s name is Carolyn Voorhees.

In preparing for a big move I’m going through many old boxes. So if you notice odd posts lately, that’s why. Lots of old stuff I’m posting up….I don’t know….just because I can.

This is my second grade progress report. I attended Sherwood Forest Elementary in Bellevue, WA. My teacher, Ms. Rhyne, noted “Conrad’s participation in music is rather passive.” This seemed odd to me since I remember being intoxicated with music at my earliest memories around age 5.

So I asked my Mother about it and she started to giggle. She remembers that report card and at the time had asked me about it. She says my reponse was, “Oh, those kids sing so out of tune I can’t bear to listen to it. I refuse to sing with them.”

This should be funny to those that know me. I’m still very much the same today when it comes to intonation, but hopefully a hair more politically correct and gentle. As I go through all these papers from my grade school years I’m struck with the thought: “Do we really change as we grow older?”. All my early writings give every indication of who I am today – for better or for worse.

Phonics Made Easy by School Zone Interactive. Visit their website at schoolzone.com .

I love this company – let me tell you why. They bought one of my royalty free rap instrumentals and used it in their software (Yes, there’s more to it than just that). My hip hop library was intended for rappers to use for albums, but this company had business saavy and used it for their phonics software. Still falls under the “synchronization license” of my library. My hat is off to the person in this company that thought outside the box to come up with that. Most companies would look strictly at corporate buyout music from business entities, not at my hip hop outlets.

Let me tell you what else I love out this company. Very few people that use my soundtracks give me credit – and that’s really all I ask for many of my royalty free libraries. This company was courteous enough to not only give me credit, but they also sent me a finished copy of their software. It was released several years ago and I just now had the chance to actually load up the software and try it out. The software is made for age 6+ and I got a couple of the answers wrong! Mmmm…….

Thank you School Zone Interactive for being a creative company, and most of all for being upright and straight ahead in your business dealings. I salute you!

Learning beginning phonics has never been so much fun! Your child will explore beginning and ending letter sounds, long and short vowel sounds, rhyming families, letter blends, and more.

Drive South was a Southern California country band I played in during the early 90’s. It was a transition group between two other bands. Bob Gross – Bass Guitar. Peter Klimes – Electric Guitar. Jono Brown – Drums. Vocals – Jolene. Keyboards – Conrad Askland. I’m on the top left.

I kind of like this photo. Was taken back around 1993 or so.