AB OVE : The musical impact and influence of professor emeritus Conan Castle was celebrated this spring in a performance featuring the UCM Concert Choir and UCM Alumni Choir. For the finale, former student and alumnus Rick Weymuth ’76, a member of the Missouri Music Hall of Fame, directed the combined group of about 100 musicians in Joseph Martin’s The Awakening. The event also included special recognition by the Missouri State Legislature proclaiming April 1 Conan Castle Day as well as special citations of recognition by the university.
“It was a memorable day that acknowledged Dr. a downtown campus choir to sing the baritone Castle’s inspiration of hundreds of music educators solo at a holiday performance. Next the president of Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, and professionals and his impact on choral music SD, visited Northwestern to hire an interim choral regionally and nationally,” Nelson said. director. Castle auditioned and was hired. The From 1959 to 1989, Castle left an indelible two names will sound familiar to UCM alumni; impression on the campus and community music scene. His journey to Warrensburg from his native the doctoral student was Ralph E. Hart; the Nebraska hinged upon a few of life’s random president was Warren Lovinger. circumstances, including assignment to an Army Castle describes his 15 months in Aberdeen as base camp in Maryland, an invitation to perform an “emotional roller coaster.” His wife, pregnant in Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, with their first child, contracted polio, spent and a vocal audition for an interim choral director a month in the hospital and emerged without position at a university in South Dakota. paralysis. Their son, Randy, was born healthy. And Castle notes, he started his first madrigal ensemble. Castle credits three teachers at North Platte High School in Nebraska for starting his musical When the interim position ended, he returned odyssey. “The war was on when I graduated in to Doane and started work on a Ph.D. in 1945 but by the time I got to basic training, it was musicology at the University of Michigan. He over.” He played trombone for two Army bands, recalled his father, a banker, commenting that his one in Arkansas and the other in Maryland. “It $3,500 salary was “so low that I could qualify for was my first visit to the East Coast, and concerts an FHA loan only on a two-car garage.” by major orchestras – Philadelphia, Boston, Attending a Music Teachers National the National and NBC – made me a lover of Association convention in Kansas City, he again symphonic music.” encountered Ralph Hart, now chair of the After his discharge in 1947, he enrolled at CMSC music department, who was looking for a second choral director. Doane College, a family tradition shared with his Realizing that Castle grandfather, his parents (who met there) and his was available, Hart sister. “Most important, it’s where I met Patricia “ Madrigal was called Lovinger, now Roop.” Two years later, they transferred to Dr. Castle. university president, Northwestern; Conan was studying for a master’s We learned to for approval. The degree in vocal music and Patricia, elementary make sounds circle of coincidences education. They married in 1951. you didn’t complete; the Northwestern, their next adventure, produced know you Castles had begun several of life’s coincidences for Castle. First, he could make their journey to was invited by a doctoral student who conducted
and had fun.”
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Vol. 16, No. 4 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine