Roger Wagner facts for kids
Roger Wagner (born January 16, 1914 – died September 17, 1992) was a famous American musician. He was a great leader and teacher. Roger Wagner created the Roger Wagner Chorale. This group became one of the best singing groups in America.
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Early Life of Roger Wagner
Roger Wagner was born in Le Puy, France, on January 16, 1914. He passed away on September 17, 1992, in Dijon, France. His younger brother was Jack Wagner, who was an actor.
Roger grew up surrounded by music. His father was an organ player at a big church in Dijon, France. In 1921, his family moved to the United States. His father then played the organ in Los Angeles. When Roger was just 12 years old, he got his first music job. He became the organist at St. Ambrose Church in West Hollywood.
Roger's Education and Sports
In 1931, Roger Wagner went back to France. He wanted to finish his music studies there. He earned his degree from the College of Montmorency. He also studied with a famous musician named Marcel Dupré.
After his studies, Roger joined the French army. While in the army, he showed great athletic skill. He even qualified to be part of the French decathlon team. This team was preparing for the 1936 Summer Olympics.
The Roger Wagner Chorale
In 1937, Roger Wagner joined the MGM chorus in Hollywood. Later, he became the Music Director at St. Joseph's Church in Los Angeles. There, he started an amazing choir of men and boys. One of his young singers was Paul Salamunovich, who later became famous too.
In 1945, Roger became the leader of young choirs for the City of Los Angeles. One of these was the "Los Angeles Concert Youth Chorus." From a small group of twelve singers from this chorus, the famous Roger Wagner Chorale was formed in 1946. They sang madrigal music, which is a type of vocal music.
In 1964, a new building called the Los Angeles Music Center was finished. Roger Wagner helped create a new singing group for it. This group was called the Los Angeles Master Chorale. It became a main performing group at the Music Center. They performed with famous orchestras, like the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1973, they sang at the President's Inauguration in Washington, D.C. In 1974, they toured the Soviet Union. They were like "cultural ambassadors" for the United States State Department. Roger Wagner led the Chorale for 22 years. After that, he was named Music Director Laureate.
The Chorale made a recording in 1951. It was of a song called "Pope Marcellus Mass" by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The Library of Congress chose this recording in 2010. It was added to the National Recording Registry. This list includes recordings that are important for culture, history, or art.
Roger's Work in Education
Roger Wagner also taught music for many years. He worked at UCLA for 32 years. He was a professor there until he passed away. He was also a special professor of choral music at Pepperdine University.
Besides his work with the Roger Wagner Chorale, he led music at churches. He was the Music Director at St. Charles Borromeo Church (North Hollywood) from 1942 to 1949. His student, Paul Salamunovich, took over after him. Paul also later became the conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Roger Wagner also started the Roger Wagner Center for Choral Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.
Awards and Honors
Roger Wagner received many awards and honors during his life. He earned a special music degree from the University of Montreal. He also received honorary degrees from other colleges. These included Westminster Choir College and St. Norbert College.
For his important work in sacred music (religious music), Pope Paul VI gave him a special title. He was named Knight Commander in the Order of St. Gregory. The Archbishop of Naples also gave him the Order of St. Bridgette. In 1990, a big music convention was held in California. It was dedicated to Roger Wagner. This was to honor his amazing contributions to choral art.
Many of the world's top conductors and musicians praised Roger Wagner. They included Eugene Ormandy and Leopold Stokowski. They all recognized his incredible talent in choral music. His musical arrangements are still published today.
A large painting of Roger Wagner hangs in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This is a famous music hall in Los Angeles. Roger Wagner also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
