Sam Shaw

(Top) Sam Shaw (center, foreground) at an Orpheus holiday concert. (Bottom) Assistant Conductor, Ron Levy (back to camera), leads Orpheus in the singing of "Psallite" at the St. Patrick's Cathedral concert "A City Singing at Christmas," in December 2019. Bob Casparian, Sam Shaw, and John Palatucci are shown in the front row.

Sam Shaw

Town: Cedar Knolls, NJ
Singing part: Bass
How did you first hear about Orpheus, and what drew you to it? “I had started singing with a mixed choir in Morris County. One of the members mentioned Orpheus Men’s Chorus and I had sung with a men’s chorus at University of Cincinnati. I went to the first rehearsal and ended up staying since then.”
How long have you been singing with Orpheus, and how long in general? “I’ve been singing with Orpheus for about 10 years (I think). Time flies when you’re having fun. I first started singing in a summer music pageant when I was 11. I don’t think I’ve missed a year of the 51 years since then, without singing, playing and making music in general. I’m 62 now [as of August 2020].”
Can you share a memory or experience with Orpheus? “One of the best memories I have, is performing Carmina Burana with two other choirs [in June 2017] and a music ensemble as well as the Christmas concert last year [December 2019] at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.”
A favorite choral song? “I love all men’s choral music, the operatic men’s choruses of Gilbert & Sullivan, Verdi and Wagner, as well as the sentimental part songs such as ‘The Parting Glass’ or ‘In Flanders Fields.’ Ah heck, they’re all great!”
How does music help you through tough times? “For me it’s a meditation. Focusing on learning the music or performing the pieces is a way to find beauty in the world around us. As painters cover space with lines and color, we cover time with sounds, melodies and harmony to make a more beautiful world.”

Bonus video: Sam Shaw performs "When the Night Wind Howls" from Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta Ruddigore. (Video from the Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company.)

Published in August 2020; updated November 2020