People of the Year in the Arts Making beautiful music the world over for 40 years LISCA and its founder, Gregg Smith, win a standing ovation as our People of the Year in the Arts
By John Broven
December 19, 2008 | 10:43 AM Currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Long Island Symphonic Choral Association has been a constant advertisement for the high quality of the arts in our locale. Throughout LISCA's existence, founder Gregg Smith has been its conductor but, after next summer, he plans to retire to an emeritus position. The Village Times Herald is delighted to honor LISCA and Gregg Smith as our People of the Year in the Arts. Chicago-born Smith, 77, established the choir in 1968 when he arrived at Stony Brook University as director of choral music following a stint at Ithaca College, he said. LISCA arose out of the university's community chorus, which had distinguished itself under Mark Orton — now music director emeritus at Setauket Presbyterian Church. "The objective was that we would develop a first-rate community group," Smith recalled. "When I left the university [in 1972] I said, 'You've been making wonderful progress, would you like to continue on your own?'" The answer of course was a resounding yes. By this time Smith had already achieved international fame as leader of the Gregg Smith Singers, which he originated in 1955 while a graduate teaching assistant at UCLA. The chamber choir had a long association with Russian-born composer and musical legend Igor Stravinsky, culminating in "an all-Stravinsky program" at Stony Brook in 1968. "It was the last concert he attended," said Smith, fondly recalling the event. The leader also remembered a 1961 performance at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Amongst a bevy of accolades, his 16-voice singers have won three Grammy Awards in the choral music category. As with his singers, Smith has directed the local choral association toward modern American compositions in addition to the classics. "LISCA gave me a chance to do larger symphonic works that was not on the purview of the Gregg Smith Singers," he confided. "Our repertoire is very broad," said Norma Watson, alto singer and founding board member as well as Three Village civic activist. "The chorus has performed over 500 works by more than 100 composers, ranging from the Renaissance and early American masters to the avant-garde. He has premiered many works [with us] by contemporary composers, including a lot of Gregg's pieces." What's special about Smith? "He taught us to listen, to strive for that perfect blend, and to enjoy the adventure of finding pitches where none could be found," said Erica Shupp, of Port Jefferson, the initial president of LISCA who today runs Shupp Artists Management. "A National Endowment of the Arts representative could tell me at one point that his office considered us to be 'the finest choir of its kind on the Eastern Seaboard.' It is rather rare that a community chorus is offered such opportunities." "Gregg Smith has a wonderful ear," added Watson. "He can listen to a whole chorus of 50 singers and tell which part is using wrong notes." The choral association, which has five recordings to its credit, usually tackles two concert programs each season. Smith now shares conducting duties with Thomas Schmidt, director of music at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church in Manhattan. "He's a good friend," said Smith. "He's now my associate with the Gregg Smith Singers … he's a fabulous pianist." LISCA has appeared at venues ranging from the Staller Center for the Arts at SBU to the Port Jefferson Presbyterian Church to Carnegie Hall. In its time, the chorus has traveled overseas, performing in Austria and other European countries; a highlight was a performance in Westminster Cathedral in London, said Watson. Next year's spring concert will feature "The Passion According to St. John" by J.S. Bach at St. James Roman Catholic Church, Setauket on May 30. A private, nonprofit organization, LISCA has 60 or so active choristers, according to Watson. The choral association has an annual fundraiser and receives grants from, among others, Suffolk County's Department of Economic Development, Cultural Affairs Division; and the NYS Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered in Suffolk by the Huntington Arts Council. For all his international reputation, Smith still makes the weekly car journey to rehearsals in Selden from his Yonkers home, driven by his wife Rosalind Rees, often a choral soloist. It is this kind of dedication that has enabled LISCA to survive and thrive. "As amateur singers we have reaped untold benefits from Gregg's reputation and stature in the arena of professional choral singing," said Martina Matkovic of Stony Brook, a LISCA vice president and chairman of publicity. "My greatest pride is that the group has done some astonishing things," said Smith. He cited "masterworks" by Verdi and Bach, in particular. "I think the future is to continue in that vein — and just not be the run-of-the-mill music chorus." In turn, "They also helped me as a composer," Smith noted. "It's been a glorious 40 years." For Gregg Smith's many accomplishments, and LISCA's choral musical mastery, we are proud to name them as our People of the Year in the Arts.