Lawrence SpeakmanLawrence Speakman is well known to audiences in Philadelphia, PA and North Carolina as a successful educator, conductor, singer and church musician. He is a graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University where he received a Bachelor of Music in Voice and Music Education. He was a voice student of David Arnold and a conducting student of Joseph Flummerfelt and Dennis Shrock. He has had a long singing career, beginning at Westminster where he was a member and soloist in the 40 voice Westminster Choir, singing with The New York Philharmonic under distinguished directors such as Leonard Bernstein, Robert Shaw, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Seiji Ozawa. He participated in three recordings as a member of The Westminster Choir with The Philharmonic, one of which was nominated for a Grammy award. As a soloist, he performed at the Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy as well as the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. In Charleston, he performed the role of the Marchese d’Obigny in a production of Verdi’s La Traviata directed by Gian Carlo Mennoti. While a student at Westminster, he sang in the choir of Trinity Episcopal under James Litton and the Chancel Choir of All Saints Episcopal under David Agler.
Lawrence was a member and soloist with the internationally renowned Philadelphia Singers and The Opera Company of Philadelphia for nine years and was an active free lance soloist. He performed J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Erich Leinsdorf and The Philadelphia Orchestra. He performed all of Bach’s major works as well as 33 Bach Cantatas with the Philadelphia Singers as part of the Bach Festival in Chestnut Hill. Lawrence performed as a chorus member and occasional soloist with the Opera Company of Philadelphia in 22 productions with the Company. While a member of both organizations, he began private conducting study with Michael Korn and Max Rudolph, and private voice study with Nell Rankin.
In 1989, Lawrence moved to Cary, North Carolina to pursue conducting opportunities and raise his young family. He served as a church musician at an area church and co-founded The Concert Singers of Cary. The chorus grew quickly, reaching over 100 members by the end of its first year and appeared with The North Carolina Symphony in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony #9 in June of 1993. The choir became a regular collaborator with the Symphony and built strong working relationships with other orchestras such as The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and The Raleigh Symphony. He has prepared the Concert Singers for more than 20 programs with The North Carolina Symphony and is a frequent guest conductor with The Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, most recently conducting Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky. This fall, he will lead The Concert Singers into their 20th season of performances.
Lawrence has also taught extensively in the classroom serving as a music faculty member at Cary Academy, East Carolina University and Louisburg College. In 2006, he completed a Master of Music Degree from East Carolina University with a double major in Choral and Orchestral conducting studying with Daniel Bara and Jorge Richter. Lawrence is continues to do clinics for area High School Choirs.
Lawrence is still sought after as a professional singer. He is currently a member of the five times Grammy nominated Conspirare, a nationally auditioned professional choir under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. This past fall, the group recorded and all Samuel Barber CD on the international label Harmonia Mundi. He has sung as a soloist and chorus member of the The Vocal Arts Ensemble of Durham, NC for 13 years and with The North Carolina Symphony Professional Chorus.
Lawrence Speakman is a member of The National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS), The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and Chorus America.
