Director A long-time music advocate and educator in the Staples Motley area, Stan Carlson is retiring from his position as director for the Staples Area Men Conductor Stan Carlson will direct the Staples Area Men’s Chorus for the last time Saturday, April 17, at the highly anticipated ‘Big Sing’ concert extravaganza in Staples.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., at the Staples Motley High School gymnasium, the Big Sing concert will feature 300 voices from male choruses representing Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.

Each chorus will perform individually and will join together for some powerful massed-choir selections, including, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” directed by Stan Carlson.

The concert is the grand finale of the two-day Big Sing Convention, which consists of singing, choral workshops and special performances.

It’s been nearly four decades that “Carlson” (as he’s fondly referred to by many of his former students as well as current choir members) has led the award-winning men’s chorus ensemble.

Special song One of the pieces the Staples Area Men “Has it really been 39 years?” Stan says during a recent interview, shaking his head in amazement.

Although his retirement comes with mixed emotions, Stan said that the Big Sing seemed to him a “good line in the sand,” on which to end his conducting career.

“We’ve been planning this for the past five years,” Stan said. “This (the Big Sing) is always an amazing, powerful experience. It will be a good note to end on.”

The SAMC last hosted the Big Sing Convention in 1985. It was a huge success and Stan believes this year will prove to be the same.

There are bound to be a few moist eyes in the audience when the Staples Area Men’s Chorus sings their rendition of the Scottish folk tune, “Loch Lomond,” a song of farewell.

Soloist Michael Rohr, a graduate of SMHS who went on to study music at St. John’s University, sings the first verse, with the rest of the choir joining in at the chorus:

Preparing for ‘The Big Sing’ Director Stan Carlson worked with members of the Staples Area Men “Oh, ye’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road, and I’ll be in Scotland afore ye,” they sing. “But me and my true love will never meet again, on the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.”

Stan’s retirement news has evoked emotion in so many people who have been a part of, or attended performances of, his stellar choirs over the past 45 years.

When one thinks of music in the Staples area, they can’t help but think of the name Stan Carlson, Sally Gorton of Staples said.

Sally, current President of the Staples Motley Area Arts Council, has known Stan for many years. “He is an extraordinary man,” she said recently. “He has this incredible desire to not only educate students, but to offer communities the availabilities of the arts.”

Sally recalled that Stan was a tireless advocate for building the Centennial Auditorium in Staples.

He also was the prime mover in making the ‘Music in the Park’ summer concert series at Northern Pacific Park in Staples a reality, Sally said.

He’s a motivator, Sally said. “He has an untiring dedication to the whole community in regard to the arts in general.”

Stan was the Director of Choral Activities at Staples and Staples Motley High Schools from 1965 - 1999, the Director of the St. Cloud State University Men’s Choir from 2006 - 2009; and has been the Director of the Staples Area Men’s Chorus since 1971.

Mike Blessing, a 1965 graduate of Staples High School, has been a part of the Staples Area Men’s Chorus since day one.

“It’s been a privilege to work with Stan all of these years,” Mike said after a recent rehearsal. “I usually am the accompanist for groups; but in Stan’s choir I got to sing. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

History

The men’s chorus was initially founded in the late 1940s, by Staples High School band director Erling Lian. It was a very strong choir and thrived for many years before it eventually disbanded.

Stan moved to town in 1965, to teach music at the Staples High School. He didn’t have any plans to direct a choir for adults.

It was Doug Grossman, Staples, who first approached Stan about getting the men’s chorus going again. That was around 1970, Stan recalled.

If he was able to get a group of guys together, would Stan be their director, was Doug’s question to the young teacher.

Not thinking Doug would actually go through with it, Stan said, ‘yes.’ Nearly 40 years later, the men’s chorus is still going strong.

“Be careful what you say yes to,” Stan laughed.

That first year there were only about seven or eight guys in the chorus, Stan said. Before too long, however, membership began to increase. Currently, there are approximately 38 men who sing in the choir.

“Doug is no longer singing with us; but we do have a few that have been there nearly as long as I have,” Stan said. “Mike Blessing’s been there since the beginning. Dave Anderson joined early on, too.”

The Wednesday night weekly rehearsals always begin with vocal warmups; and much thought and care is put into the music repertoire.

“We’ve been working on one of my favorites this year,” Stan said. “A piece by William Byrd, ‘Ave Verum Corpus,’ an English Renaissance piece.”

In fact, the men will be performing this piece and two others before a panel of judges and other participating choirs during a portion of the upcoming Big Sing Convention.

“I love the ability to create...there is such a richness in that. I have really enjoyed finding music that the guys will be successful at,” Stan said.

It’s been a tremendous experience, Stan said, recalling his years with the SAMC. “Very rewarding,” he added.

Many rich friendships have been developed over the years as well. Although he is certain it’s time to move on, there is much about the men’s chorus he will miss, Stan said.

The guys will miss him too, is the consensus of all.

Ron Denning is a 1980 graduate of SHS and a former member of Stan’s high school choirs.

When he and his wife, Cindy, moved back to the Staples area in 1988, Ron joined the men’s chorus the next year and had the chance to once again work with his high school director.

“It’s been great,” Ron said of his years singing under the direction of Stan.

Ron said the men’s chorus is made up of a wide variety of individuals. They represent a variety of

professions; backgrounds

and church affiliations. “But we all share an interest

in music,” Ron said. “That what bonds us together. It’s a unique group.”

John Gorton, Staples,

has been a member of the

men’s chorus for 17 years. “And I’m a newcomer,” he

laughed.

Having never been in a choir before, this has been an incredible experience for John.

“It’s incredible for everyone... that’s why people keep coming back; we even have other music teachers in this choir. It’s because of the quality of the choir and the music.”

John’s first year in the men’s chorus was the year his youngest son, Paul, was a junior in high school. “We sang Beethoven together,” John reminisced.

Paul went on to sing in the St. John’s University Choir, under the direction of Axel Theimer.

Paul had only sung about three notes during his audition, John recalled, when Theimer told him he could stop. “Paul could sing well; but Axel also knew that because Paul had been in Stan Carlson’s choirs, he had to be good. Stan is that respected among music leaders.”

With Stan, things need to be done at quality level, or he won’t do them at all, John said.

Stan credits his work ethic and passion for music to his own upbringing.

Early life

He grew up on the east side of St. Paul. “The

Swedish side of town,”

Stan recalled. It was a very ‘blue-collar’ area, he said. “There wasn’t money for

piano lessons.”

There was, however, always an abundance of music.

His high school choral director, Carl Lipke, was a big influence in Stan’s life; as were his parents, Clarence and Elizabeth, who

taught their son early on

the enjoyment of music. “Dad was very musical,”

Stan shared. “He played harmonica and was a square dance caller. He’d take me along to these square dances which I loved.”

Seeing the dance hall filled with adults who were having so much fun dancing a Virginia Reel, was infectious.

Stan went on to study music at Hamline University, where he was inspired by director Robert Holliday. He later received his M.M. degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Staples is the only place Stan’s ever worked as an adult; and except for the time he spent working on his master’s degree, it is the only place he has lived during these past years.

“Oh, when I first came here, I always thought I’d teach for a couple of years and then head back to the

Twin Cities,” Carlson said. “But this is definitely home.

Diane (his wife) and I raised our kids here (David and Lisa)...it’s been a wonderful place to live.”

His influence in Staples might never have happened had Stan first accepted a teaching position east of Minnesota.

When he was fresh out of college, Stan was offered a job in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. After an agonizing week of carrying around the contract in his pocket, he finally told the school that he couldn’t take the job.With his love of Renaissance music and composers who mostly wrote from a Christian perspective, Stan said he wasn’t sure how he’d fit into a mostly Jewish neighborhood. “I’m sure it would have been fine; and I’ve since discovered a wealth of material influenced by the Old Testament. But at that time, I felt like I was out of my element.’

A few months later, he was offered a job in Staples. The rest, as they say, is history.

The next chapter

Stan is thrilled that Steve Hoemberg will be taking over as director of the Staples Area Men’s Chorus.

Steve, currently a music director at both Motley Staples Middle School and SMHS, was once a student of Stan’s. He is now a member of SAMC, continuing to learn from his former teacher.

Stan is probably the number one reason he pursued a career in music education, Steve said. “He is what drew me to choir in the first place,” he added. “I wanted to do well in music because of his inspiration.”

One of the things Steve most admires about Stan is his passion for getting the details right. “You don’t get to be on the Music Hall of Fame; and see your choirs earn top ratings year after year if you aren’t striving to be the best you can be,” Steve said. “Success feels good...Stan knows that.”

He loves the process of making music as much as

the end result, Steve said

of his high school director. “Stan takes joy in seeing

musicians get better; seeing them work through struggles.”

Stan is not one to sit back and rest on his laurels, Steve said. “He’s now 67 years old and he is continuing to help his choir reach new heights, even up to this last concert.”

Stan’s gift to his singers, Steve said, has been

his effort in teaching them

the fundamentals of music. “He gave us something we

could take with us forever. He gave us a gift of understanding.”

Not many people know that Stan minored in phy. ed. and coached jr. high football for awhile, Steve shared. “I think that’s why he’s been successful in getting guys to sing. He understands that they enjoy competition; and like football, music entails learning different plays.”

It’s been an honor to have followed in Stan’s footsteps, Steve said. First at the Staples and Motley schools; and now the chance to direct the men’s chorus.

“There’s never a day I teach that I don’t think to myself, ‘What would Stan do in this situation?’” Steve said.

No doubt, Stan will continue to impact lives long after his choir sings their closing number Saturday evening.

Just because he’s retiring from the men’s chorus doesn’t mean that Stan is through serving the Staples community.

He will continue, as he’s done for the past 40 years, to work with the Staples Motley Area Arts Council and is already busy lining up talent for this year’s ‘Concerts in the Park’ series. Stan is also a member of the Staples City Council.

Of course, music will always be a part of his

life. He still has his dad’s

old harmonica, Stan said. “Learning to play it is on

my list for next year when I have time,” he added.

In the meantime, there’s still work to be done in preparation for the Big Sing Saturday. “It’s going to be great night of music,” Stan said. “A very special concert.”