Choral Music by

Music Career Summary

More than one hundred of Crawford R. Thoburn's choral compositions, arrangements, and editions have been published. Choirs across the U.S. and throughout the world sing his music, with performances recently noted in Nova Scotia, British Columbia, England, Germany, Austria, France, South Africa, Singapore, India, and Taiwan. Professional, church, and college groups record his works, which have been broadcast on National Public Radio and Public Radio International.

In July, 2011, Crawford R. Thoburn became Professor of Music, Emeritus, at Wells College in Aurora NY where he served for decades as Director of Choral Activities. His choral ensembles at Wells won international awards in juried competition, performed by invitation at ACDA  and MENC conventions, toured in the U.S. and Europe, performed with many other college groups, and sang with professional orchestras. He conducted numerous inter-collegiate choral collaborations, and earned a national reputation for expertise in women's choral literature and performance.

Crawford has a B.A. from Allegheny College, where he studied theory, arranging, and conducting with Morten J. Luvaas. In 1999, the Allegheny Alumni Association selected him to receive its prestigious Gold Citation, "in recognition and appreciation of the honor reflected upon the college by virtue of his professional achievements."

At Boston University, Crawford received an M.M. and worked as an assistant to his instructor in voice and conducting, Allen C. Lannom.  He later studied choral and orchestral conducting with Otto-Werner Mueller, Margaret Hillis, and Robert Shaw. While on a year-long sabbatical leave, he was a member of (and soloist with) the renowned St. Martin Singers of London, England, under the direction of W. D. Kennedy-Bell.

Crawford served on the first National Committee on Editorial Standards of the American Choral Directors Association. His scholarly articles have appeared in the American Choral Review, the Wells College Express and the Choral Journal, where he headed the Choral Review Department for five years. He is profiled in the 59th edition of the original Marquis biographical directory Who's Who In America.

While at Wells, Professor Thoburn chaired the Music Department, the Division of the Arts, the Centennial Committee, the New Arts Facilities Committee, and the Summer College Program.  His colleagues  repeatedly elected him to the Faculty Advisory Committee, and the administration named him the first Campbell Professor of the Arts. Off campus, Crawford served many years as a choral conductor for Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian congregations.  In August 2011, he was appointed as the Chancel Choir Director of the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles NY, where his wife, Karen A. Hindenlang, serves as Director of Music and Organist.