Synopsis
Conductor Robert Shaw stunned America and the world with the sound he coaxed from the human voice. Self-taught, without formal musical training, Shaw became America’s most celebrated choral conductor and would help build one of the world’s great symphony orchestras.
Robert Shaw: Man of Many Voices traces the improbable story of Shaw’s life and career, from his childhood as a preacher’s son in rural California through his meteoric rise to the heights of classical music. Shaw believed everyone could love great music, and for many years brought his ensembles to tiny towns across America. An early champion of civil rights, his integrated chorales were among the first to break the color barrier in the American South. But amidst the triumphs of his musical career, the film reveals the demons that haunted – and sometimes threatened to derail – its complex and flawed protagonist.
Shaw’s eventful journey is brought to life in the film by interviews with fellow musicians, as well as family members, admirers, and friends. A treasure trove of rare archival material immerses us in Shaw’s life and times, and the musical soundtrack is packed with some of the most powerful performances ever recorded. David Hyde Pierce narrates a story the New York Times describes as “poignant and compelling.”
Theatrical Trailer
“Poignant and compelling.”The New York Times
