David Clark Isele
1946 - 2016
David Clark Isele, composer, conductor, organist, and choirmaster, died at the age of seventy on June 24, 2016, in Tampa, Florida.
Born in 1946, he studied at Oberlin Conservatory, Southern Methodist University, and the Eastman School of Music. From 1973-1979, he served on the faculty of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where he founded the Notre Dame Chorale and conducted the Notre Dame Glee Club. From 1980–2011, he served as professor of music, composer-in-residence, and director of choral and vocal activities at the University of Tampa, Florida.
His compositions vary from works for orchestra and instrumental ensembles to large choral works, song, anthems and accompanied pieces for solo instruments. Several pieces have had European premiers, including “Prologue and Conjugation” for organ and “Cognitions,” also for organ. The latter was recorded for Swiss National Radio. “Te Deum,” a work for chorus and organ, had its London premier. He may be best known in pastoral music circles for his Holy Cross Mass, especially for its alternate “Lamb of God” setting and his Psalms for the Church Year.
During his time in Tampa, David also served as organist and choirmaster at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and, in retirement, as organist at St. Andrew Episcopal Church. He will be remembered with a concert at the University of Tampa Chapel at 2 p.m. on August 27.