Craig Jessop is widely accepted among American choral directors as one of the pre-eminent choral leaders of our time. For over twenty-five years, he conducted high-profile instrumental and choral ensembles in the United States and Europe, including premiere vocal and instrumental ensembles of the U.S. Air Force, as well as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Following his retirement from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, he was appointed as the founding dean of the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University. He continues to conduct choirs and is highly sought after as a guest conductor and clinician across the United States.
Despite his fame in choral conducting circles, very little has been written about him or his methods. He is unique among choral conductors in the United States, as he spent most of his career as a performing musician without a teaching appointment in higher education. He is also among the few choral conductors with professional experience in regularly conducting instrumental ensembles. Lastly, Jessop was a student and close friend of Robert Shaw. Recognizing Shaw’s influence is vital to understanding Jessop’s career and methods.
The study is organized into five chapters, with chapters devoted to Jessop’s biography, artistic philosophies, and choral techniques. Information concerning Jessop was collected through three primary methods: (1) transcription and analysis a series of personal interviews and phone calls between the researcher and Jessop; (2) observations in choral rehearsals and conducting symposia; (3) transcription and analysis of previous interviews and speeches given by Jessop, in which he discussed his artistic philosophies and choral techniques.
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