Memorial Concert – James Dearing

The Department of Music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania has announced that it will honor the memory of longtime choral professor James Dearing in a concert on Sunday, January 16, 2011.

The event will feature over 125 current and past students of the IUP choral program in a grand concert befitting of a fine teacher, conductor, singer, and friend.

The concert will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Gorell Recital Hall, located on the second floor of John Sutton Hall. Music planned for the program includes “The Awakening” by Joseph Martin, “Dixie” arranged by Norman Luboff, “Wanting Memories” by Ysaye M. Barnwell, “David’s Song Upon Absalom” edited by James Dearing, “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart, “The Mansions of the Lord” arranged by Benjamin Harlan, “Ain’a That Good News” by William Dawson, “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen, “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” arranged by Moses Hogan, and “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel Gawthrop. Former music students will serve as conductors, and the program is subject to change.

For alumni of the IUP choral program who would like to participate, please contact Sarah Piper by Wednesday, December 22, at. Please include your voice part and year of graduation. A rehearsal will be held on Saturday afternoon as well as on Sunday prior to the concert.

Dearing joined the IUP faculty in 1982 and most recently served as director of Choral Studies at IUP. He was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Music, where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller and Robert Fountain. Before coming to IUP, Dearing was assistant director of the 7th U.S. Army Soldiers Chorus and director of Choral Studies at the University of Virginia, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and California Polytechnic State University.

In his earlier career, he served as tenor soloist with the Roger Wagner Chorale touring throughout the former Soviet Union, the Far East, South America, Europe, and across North America under the auspices of the U.S. State Department and Sol Hurok Productions. In recent years, he was also a frequent guest conductor and adjudicator for high school and collegiate choral festivals throughout North America.

In announcing Professor Dearing’s passing in late November after an extended illness, David Werner, interim president at IUP, said, “While I didn’t have the opportunity to get to know Mr. Dearing, I’ve heard a great deal about his talent, his passion for music, and his tremendous impact on decades of Music Department students.”

Professor Dearing’s wife, Kristi, is also a Department of Music faculty member. A community memorial service was held on December 13 at Calvary Presbyterian, where Prof. Dearing served as choir director for many years.

As an ongoing way to honor Prof. Dearing’s legacy, the department and the Foundation for IUP have set up an account for donations that will go towards naming of the James C. Dearing Ensemble Library in Cogswell Hall, home of the Department of Music. Those wishing to contribute may send their tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation for IUP, G-1 Sutton Hall, 1011 South Drive, Indiana, PA 15705, payable to Foundation for IUP—Dearing Library Fund.

A ceremony will be held immediately following the concert dedicating the ensemble library in Prof. Dearing’s name.

Admission to the concert and dedication ceremony is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted.