Arts, Etc.Music

Farthing feels passion in music

Scott Farthing, new assistant professor of music and director of choral and vocal studies, is very passionate about music. He finds happiness in teaching music to students. In the future he plans to put on a musical with the Theatre Department. / photo by Amelia Tabullo
Scott Farthing, new assistant professor of music and director of choral and vocal studies, is very passionate about music. He finds happiness in teaching music to students. In the future he plans to put on a musical with the Theatre Department. / photo by Amelia Tabullo

by Jennifer Contreras
Editorial Director

His office is clearly a musical venue: piano to the right and a music stand to the left. The beautiful sounds of voice and melody cannot help but touch the mind and soul of all who dare to enter.

The private voice lessons held in this office echo sounds of German harmony that bounce beautifully off the walls and land in your mouth.

Sitting in this room amid all the music, one cannot help but feel a longing to be a part of it all.

The University of La Verne’s new Chorale Director Scott Farthing’s passion shows, as he gives instruction on breathing and Bach.

After five minutes of being in his presence, one can tell that Farthing, ULV’s newest assistant professor of music, is a diamond of music.

Some could see Farthing as militant because of the stern position he takes with his singers during rehearsals.

He makes them march in, face center, and calls for pearly whites; essentially demanding perfection.

But he sees this as preparing them for the future.

The ULV Chorale and Chamber Singers had prepared for the “Bach’s Lunch,” an informal concert where boxed lunches were sold held Wednesday, October 10, since the first day of the semester.

“Bach doesn’t treat voices like they are voices, he treats voices like they are instruments, they never get a break for breath so you got to squeeze them in,” said Farthing this week on a quick piano break during a private voice lesson with senior music major and alto soloist for “Bach’s Lunch,” Natalie Ganther.

During this private lesson, he plays the piano while she reaches the vocal heights envisioned by Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata Number 72 “Alles nur nach Gottes willen,” a piece that was written in 1726.

There are no breaths written in, Farthing said, so the singers must find a way to breathe without altering the composer’s intentions.

Farthing feels that it is important to study Bach because his compositions are complex and difficult.

“It’s not easy to sing, but I wanted to start the year out with a wham,” Farthing said.

Before bringing Bach to ULV, Farthing conducted the Madrigal Singers, the Chamber Singers and the Heritage Chorale at the University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory where he got his Master’s and doctoral degrees.

Before that he was in Wichita, Kansas.

“I did my undergraduate studies there at Friends University. But before that I lived in Washington D.C. That is where I grew up and lived for 20 years. I have gradually made it to the West,” Farthing said.

In 1997, while he was the assistant director of the choir at Friends, he went on a choir tour, for which one of the stops was ULV.

“The University hosted us here and we sang at the Church of the Brethren. I remember I loved La Verne and then the job came open…I really fell in love with the philosophy of student centeredness of the school. There are not many universities where the students are the main priority,” Farthing said.

Along with Bach, Farthing brought with him an insatiable love for music, which he says is still growing.

“I’ve never not been involved in music. I started piano studies when I was 2 1/2. My brother and sister both were pianists and I could pick out, at that age, what they were playing. I was exposed to so much music. My mother found a teacher for me that specialized in children and I had my first performance when I was four. From then on, I was always involved in music, as a pianist and as a singer and then as a composer and a conductor,” Farthing said. “I feel pretty sheltered and pretty darn lucky, actually, to have that great fortune.”

Growing up in Washington, D.C., Farthing had the opportunity to immerse himself, he said.

“It was a wonderful place to see performances and all of my schools had really fine music programs. I had my first professional job at a theater company when I was 12. I was their pianist,” Farthing said.

Farthing said he loves to work with people and singers in particular.

He is a composer, having written such pieces as “A Jubilant Song”, “How Can I Keep From Singing” and “Come Travel with Me.” Through his publisher, Walton Music, his compositions are sold and performed.

While Farthing admits, music takes up most of his time, however, he says he still finds time to read, travel and socialize.

“I’ve been to Israel three times, that was a wonderful place. I was part of a group that performed there during Christmas. I’ve been all over Europe. I go to New York a couple of times every spring. I work for a group called the Field Center Studies of New York which sponsors students coming in to work with professionals,” Farthing said.

In La Verne, Farthing says that he already senses a “really great connection” with his singers.

“We are all here to make good music and I think they do trust me. I’m demanding, I expect them to work hard. I can be very honest and they know it. They know I’m trying to make them the best singers that they can be,” said Farthing.

“He has challenged us to become better singers,” said sophomore political science major Christy Roberts. “The way he conducts choir is fast. There is no time for anything and there is a lot more discipline. He works us harder and it shows.”

Along with the newly started vocal jazz group that he is conducting, Farthing has already set up plans to join forces with the ULV Theatre Department to do a musical during January interterm.

Farthing carries with him the philosophy that, “if you can talk and breathe, you can sing.”

“A school this size should have 150 people,” he said.

His genuine belief in people and his immense love for music are what make him unique.

His arm flies away as a conductor does and in the end, one walks away feeling that music is all about passion.

Jennifer Contreras, Editorial Director
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