Jacob Bos (1974 - 1980)

 Jacob Bos Sr:

Native of Groningen, Netherlands. Studied vocal and instrumental music at the Groningen School of Music and at the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Hague, Holland.  Bassoonist with the Dutch Royal Navy Orchestra and later principal bassoonist for the Haarlem Orchestra.  He founded and directed the Haarlem School of Music and the Zaamdan School of Music.  He had played chamber music with Isaac Stern and Yehudi Menuhin.  He also performed with other orchestras in Germany, France, and Italy. He was a member and president  of the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam from 1941 to 1950. BYU Professor of Music (Emeritus Status).  He was also the originator and first conductor of the Utah Valley Symphony and the Utah Valley Children’s Chorus.

1972

1973

17 June - This notice is printed in the Provo Daily Herald:

Editor:  There are few communities anywhere that have as many musically talented people as Utah Valley.  These people have devoted many years developing their talents only to find there is no place to perform.

We feel that there is a definite need for the residents of Utah Valley to have a large permanent choir and an orchestra to provide them the opportunity to sing and play under professional direction at the same time providing the valley with the cultural enrichment of a nondenominational civic organization belonging to the community.

We are very fortunate that an internationally famous musician, Jacob Bos, founder of the Children’s Chorus and the Utah Valley Symphony, has now organized such a group.  The Civic Oratorio Society and associated Orchestra provide this much needed opportunity for all the people of Utah Valley.

We recommend that the entire community support and enjoy its Civic Oratorio Society.

Signed: 

The Hon. Verl G Dixon, Mayor of Provo City

D. Gerrit deJong Jr, Dean Emeritus, College of Fine Arts, BYU

Stella H Oaks, Supervisor, Adult Education, Provo City Schools

Dr. JC Moffitt, Former Superintendent, Provo City Schools

Dr. Jenniey J Poulson, President, Women Division, Provo Chamber of Commerce (9)

1974 

Civic Oratorio Society was reactivated by Jacob Bos, BYU professor of music emeritus and one time member of the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and native of Holland.  He had founded the COS “years ago”.  Dr. Jack T Harrison of Provo was the Chairman of the COS. The board of directors consisted of Elaine Groneman and David L Gardner of Orem, and Mrs. O D Bruce, Dr. Robert C Burton, Golden Allred, David F Smith, Paula R Horegs, Miriam J Carey, Dr. Dale T Fletcher, Dr. Brandt B Curtis, and Jacob Bos, all from Provo. Another member, Phillip Perlman, was from SLC.  Dale T Fletcher of Provo was President, Arthur Bell of Provo was Secretary, and Julia King of Springville was Treasurer.  It started with just 20 voices.

16 March - Pleasant Grove Junior High School Girls’ Chorus performed with the COS.  They sang Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, with soloists Dr. William Ramsey of Utah State University and Flora Nielsen of Brigham Young University, with accompaniment by the Utah Symphony Orchestra. (1)

1975

9 September - The COS has included a youth chorus for the upcoming Centennial celebration.

1977

21 August - An article in the Provo Daily Herald discussed the reforming of the COS in preparation of a concert in December. The concert, according to the article, would feature the Bach Cantata #1 “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star” and the Bach Cantata #80 “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”. (6) Dr. Bos and Dr. Brandt Curtis would be conducting the upcoming concert. The organist would be William M. Foxley, from BYU.

06 December - This photo of Dr. Bos was printed in the Provo paper in advance of the upcoming Christmas concert.

12 December - the COS gives a concert in conjunction with the Provo High School A Cappella Choir as a benefit for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Utah County.  Two Bach cantatas were performed, as well as David Gardner’s The Lord’s Prayer as a community sing-in piece. (12)

1978

16 April - COS presents the St. Paul Oratorio by Mendelssohn with Dr. Brandt Curtis as conductor. The organists are Terry Donat and Janice Burton.  Other soloists include: Jacqueline Clark, Pamela Avery, and Florence Rogers, sopranos; Barbara Leatham and Linda Phillips, altos; Terry Smith and Greg Tata, tenors; and Darrell Barreet, Arthur Bell, and Lyle Anderson, basses.(15)

At this time, there were approx. 40 members in the choir.

Evidently, Dr. William Foxley had passed away very recently, so Terry Donat and Janice Burton took over as organists at the last minute. Mr. Donat had a Master’s degree in Organ Performance from BYU, and Mrs. Burton served as the organist for the Provo Temple Dedication.

20 August - An article in the Provo Daily Herald describing the COS preparing for a December concert mentions the principal members of the choir being Dr. Jack Harrison, Jacob Bos, and Dr. Brandt Curtis. The December concert will include oratorios and a composition by Merril Bradshaw at the Provo Tabernacle.  Conductor would be Brandt B Curtis and assistant conductor would be Douglas Bush.  The program would consist of works from Haydn, Handel, Saent-Saens, and two numbers from Merrill Bradshaw’s “The Restoration”. A children’s chorus from Provo Wasatch School would sing on one number. (2)

30 November - An update on the work on the upcoming Christmas concert. Two pieces will be from Joseph Haydn’s “The Creation” with Clarine Downs as a  soloist.  There would also be several pieces from Saent-Saens with Clarine and Robert Downs, and Brandt Curtis,  as soloists. The Wasatch Children’s Chorus would sing “Conquering Hero” from Judas Maccabaeus.  Don Gottfretson would solo as a tenor on “St Paul” and “Elijah” from Mendelssohn. (7)

1979

7 April - COS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Soloists will include Pam Avery, Monette Holmes, Catharine Hussell, Barbara Leatham, Roger Goffman, Stephen Bardsley, Robert Downs, and Boyd Hancock. Douglas E Bush was the organist. The COS had 73 members at this time. (5)

11 April - COS presents Easter Music at Midday, as a part of the BYU annual tradition, featuring selections from J S Bach’s The Passion According to St. Matthew. (5)

13 December - COS will present the concert mentioned above in the Orem Recreation Center. Though this particular news article states that the pieces performed will be from Bach, Verdi, Dvorak, and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah. At this time, the chorus supported 50 voices. (3)

1980

1 January - A call to the public to come and join the COS to prepare for their Easter concert which would include works from Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and the Faure REQUIEM. (11)

The conductor for this concert would be Dr. Brandt Curtis, a professor of music at BYU who had been teaching there since 1955 private voice, choral music, and opera.  He had, at this point, sung in 45 operas during his long career. (13)

24 April - COS Easter concert

7 September - COS changes its name to Utah Valley Choral Society. Jacob Bos is quoted saying that the choir will still do oratorios, but will also be adding other choral pieces. The season opener is December 13 this year with 8 soloists from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the accompanying organist would be Kerry Arbon. (8)