Howard Swan

Howard Shelton Swan (March 19, 1906 – September 19, 1995) was an American choral conductor, tenor, music educator, and writer on music. A highly influential figure in American choral music during the 20th century, Swan was sometimes referred to as the "Dean of American Choral Directors" during his lifetime. A choral director and professor of voice at Occidental College from 1934 through 1971, his choirs at Occidental gained international critical acclaim. Conductor Robert Shaw stated about Swan's choral work at Occidental that it was "the most distinguished and varied choral repertoire at the highest level of performance in American collegiate history."

After retiring from Occidental in 1971, Swan worked as the coordinator of graduate music studies at California State University, Fullerton from 1971-1977, and after that as a lecturer in choral music and conducting at the University of California, Irvine. His father was a math teacher who eventually became the principal of Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California

After retiring from Occidental in 1971, Swan worked as the coordinator of graduate music studies at California State University, Fullerton from 1971-1977, and after that as a lecturer in choral music and conducting at the University of California, Irvine. The book Conscience of a Profession: Howard Swan, Choral Director and Teacher (Chapel Hill, N C, 1987) is a collection of his speeches and writings from 1945 through 1986. In 1987 the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association was a dedicated symposium on Howard Swan and his work as a choral director and writer on music. In 1995 he was the recipient of the Robert Shaw Choral Award.