Ken Sanson

July 26, 1932 - September 15, 2021

As a member of the Pasadena Boys Choir, Ken sang in visiting productions of operas, including Carmen and Tosca when a children's chorus was needed. "After we completed our part, I would stay backstage and watch the rest of the performance through a small hole in the set," he recalled. This started what would be a life-long passion for opera, singing and leading internationally acclaimed choirs.

Ken was a member of the Roger Wagner chorale for 11 years, touring throughout the Americas and Japan. Ken sang in the motion picture scores for The Robe (1953) and the Gallant Hours (1960). He was a member of the chorus for the San Francisco and Metropolitan Opera companies during their tours to Los Angeles.

Ken taught choral music, English, and history in California public schools after receiving his BA degree from Occidental College in 1954. He earned his MA degree in music from USC in 1966 with a thesis entitled An Analysis of Factors Contributing to the Success of Selected Southern California High School Choirs.

After completing a 1966 Rockefeller Foundation program for the training of music critics, a job at Chicago's American came next where he reviewed and wrote features regarding the cultural offerings of the Windy City until 1973. Zsa Zsa Gabor was among those whom he interviewed. He wrote reviews of opera, symphony, recitals, chamber music, theatre, ballet, record critiques, think pieces, the weekly calendar and composed and edited program notes.

Ken acquired a teaching position at Chicago's American Conservatory of Music in 1969 and was a guest faculty member at Chicago's Musical College of Roosevelt University. He taught Music Literature, Aesthetics and Criticism, Choral Conducting, and conducted their Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.

Following his return to Los Angeles in 1982, he wrote features, interviews of musical artists and opera reviews for the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach Press-Telegram, San Francisco Chronicle and The Christian Science Monitor.

Ken 's homecoming coincided with the founding of the LA Opera. He was a founding subscriber and annual donor. His wish to expose others to the world's top vocalists motivated his $1 million gift to the LA Opera, and gifts to the San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the LA Philharmonic and USC's Thorton School of Music Choral Department.

Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2022