Kenneth Jennings (conductor)

Kenneth L. Jennings (May 13, 1925 – August 20, 2015) was an American choral conductor and composer. He was the Harry R. and Thora Helseth Tosdal Professor of Music Emeritus and Director Emeritus of the St. Olaf Choir. He was a published arranger, composer, and choral music educator.

Jennings grew up in Fairfield and Westport, Connecticut. He was an alumnus of St. Olaf College and sang as a member of the St. Olaf Choir. He received his master's degree from Oberlin College and his doctorate from the University of Illinois. Jennings was appointed to the faculty of St. Olaf College in 1953, and became the third director of the internationally renowned St. Olaf Choir in 1968, succeeding founder F. Melius Christiansen and his son successor, Olaf Christiansen. He retired from St. Olaf College in 1990, turning over the podium to his former student, Anton Armstrong. His wife, Carolyn Jennings, is also an emerita professor of music at St. Olaf. Among three children, his son, Mark Jennings, is currently director of Choral Activities at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. Jennings died at his home in Northfield, Minnesota, aged 90.

Jennings became noted for guiding and maturing the St. Olaf Choir from an ensemble rooted substantially in its early twentieth century formation to ascend as ranking among the world's most highly respected choral ensembles. A former student and colleague of Olaf Christiansen, Jennings understood and respected the choir's distinct Lutheran tradition in his programming. However, as the third director of the ensemble, he also modified the tradition of programming exclusively unaccompanied music. Jennings prepared the choir to record Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé with the Minnesota Orchestra under the direction of Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and during his tenure, he arranged for several notable conductors to rehearse and lead the St. Olaf Choir in concert, including Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, Bach specialist Helmuth Rilling, British organist Simon Preston, and Robert Shaw. Jennings led the choir on twelve international tours, most notably to France (where he led the St. Olaf Choir, Strasbourg Philharmonic and international soloists in Bach's Mass in B minor for the opening concert of the 1972 Strasbourg International Music Festival), Norway (for the Bergen International Festival), and to Seoul, Korea, for the 1988 Summer Olympics Arts Festival. After his retirement from St. Olaf in 1990, he served as a visiting professor and choral conductor at Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of Arizona in Tucson. Jennings served as the guest conductor at anniversary concerts in honor of F. Melius Christiansen (the 125th in 1996 and the 135th in 2006).

N. B.: These lists may not be complete. Some works may be out of print or available only as print on demand or online downloads.

Arirang (Neil A. Kjos Music Co.) – Korean, arr. Deck The Halls (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #6212) – Welsh Wassail, arr. For SSA/2 Part/Unison. Joy to the World (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #6213) – Handel, arr. The Lord My Faithful Shepherd Is (Augsburg Fortress) – Bach, ed. For SATB, Organ. Norge Mitt Norge (Earthsongs) – arr. O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #6211) – German carol, arr. Rise Up, O Men of God (Augsburg Fortress) – Hymn, arr. TTBB. Silent Night (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #6214) – German carol by Franz Gruber, arr. Thy Little Ones, Dear Lord, Are We (Curtis Music Press, dist. Neil A. Kjos Music Co.)
Toraji Taryung (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #8842) – Korean, arr. .

For God Commanded Angels to Watch Over You (Neil A. Kjos Music Co. #8798) – From Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, ed. Four Double Choruses by Robert Schumann, Op 141 (G. Schirmer) – ed. and trans. Includes An die Sterne, Ungewisses Licht, Zuversicht, and Talismane. Gently the Wind is Blowing (Curtis Music Press, dist. Neil A. Kjos Music Co.) – Mozart, ed./arr. I Gondolieri (Hinshaw) – Rossini, ed. with a singable English translation by KJ. SATB, Piano. La Passeggiata (Hinshaw) – Rossini, ed. with a singable English translation by KJ. SATB, Piano. Sommersalm (The Earth Adorned) (Walton Music Co.) – Waldemar Åhlen, English translation by KJ

In addition to his music publications and recordings, Kenneth Jennings was the teacher and mentor of many prominent choral conductors, most notably René Clausen, composer, and conductor of The Concordia Choir; Anton Armstrong, his successor as conductor of the St. Olaf Choir; Craig Arnold, founder, Artistic Director, and Chair of Manhattan Concert Productions and former conductor of Luther College's Nordic Choir; Bradley Ellingboe, composer and Director of Choral Studies for University of New Mexico; John Helgen, composer; and Craig Hella Johnson, conductor.