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The American bass singer, choral conductor, composer and organist, Arlen Ronald Clarke, obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi (1973-1976). After a year of graduate study with Lloyd Pfautsch at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, he went on to receive his Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth (1981-1983).
Upon completion of six years of active duty as an officer in the US Army (May 1983-September 1988), Arlen Clarke was a singer and later, the Composer in Residence at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri (1990-1991). Shortly thereafter, he was appointed to the post of Director of Choral Activities at his alma mater, Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi (July 1991-June 1996). He currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Since August 2009, he has been Artistic Director of Concordiae: Singers of Ecclesiastical Music in Greenville. Concordiae is a premiere a cappella vocal ensemble of 12-15 singers, performing sacred classical music of the ages. He served as Dean of the Greenville, South Carolina Chapter of American Guild of Organists (AGO) for two years (June 2014-July 2016). Since June 2010, he has been Choirmaster/Composer/Clinician and Guest conductor at St Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville. He rehearses and conducts the various vocal ensembles at St. Mary's Church - The Full Choir (Adult) the Youth Choir, and the Schola Cantorum (mixed voices). In addition to composing, he maintains an active schedule as a an organist, conductor, singer and vocal coach, choral clinician, lecturer and adjudicator. In May 2022, he performed as a bass soloist with South Carolina Bach Choir.
Arlen Clarke has composed music for use in a liturgical setting, mostly for St. Mary's Church. Over 300 anthems, motets, arrangements, and Anglican chants, including five extended works for orchestra and choir, concerti for strings, horn, trumpet and oboe, and two orchestral symphonic poems, Requiem for a Soldier, and Down the Labrynthian Way. His choral music has been performed by various groups throughout the USA and Europe as well as Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, South Carolina, Washington National Cathedral, Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri and in hundreds of USA churches. He is a member of the American Composers Forum, ASCAP. |
