In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Norman Luboff Biography

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Born: 1917. Died: 1987. Lived in: United States
Norman Luboff was born in Chicago in 1917. Although he trained in piano as a child and participated in choirs in high school, it was not until his college years that he began to think of music as a life-long profession. After attending the University of Chicago and Central College in Chicago, he did graduate work with the noted composer Leo Sowerby while singing and writing for some of the best radio programs in Chicago. In the mid-1940s, he moved to New York City to continue his career.

With a call from Hollywood to be choral director of The Railroad Hour, a radio weekly starring Gordan McRae, Mr. Luboff entered a period of enormous artistic growth and accomplishment, including the scoring of many television programs and more than eighty motion pictures. He also recorded with America's most noted artists, including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, and Doris Day. In 1950, he formed Walton Music Corporation to make his works available in printed form.

The Norman Luboff Choir became one of the leading choral groups in the world, recording a wide variety of music on more than seventy-five LPs and touring yearly from 1963 to 1987. As an educator, Mr. Luboff was in much demand, guest conducting all-state, clinic, and festival choirs of every description in the United States and abroad. In September of 1987,he died peacefully at his home in North Carolina.

Although a true professional in the choral world, Norman Luboff never lost his empathy for the musical layman. Two generations of choral directors have been profoundly influenced by his work. Millions of people continue to be magically touched by his wonderful legacy.