Scott Farthing is currently Director of Choral and Vocal Music and Professor of Music at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA where he teaches voice, conducts the college choirs, and teaches beginning, intermediate, Advanced, and Applied voice. Dr. Farthing also has had the privilegea of serving on the Applied Voice Faculty of the Los Angeles campus of the American Music and Dramatic Academy and as Chair of the Department of Music and Associate Professor of Music at the University of La Verne. Dr. Farthing is a much sought after choral conductor directing choral festivals, clinics, and workshops throughout the United States. Dr. Farthing has worked as a collaborative keyboard artist at choral festivals across the country including the ACDA National Middle School Honor Choir in San Antonio and the National Honor Choir at Lincoln Center in New York City. Dr. Farthing is also publishing choral works with several publishers including Walton Music, Colla Voce, and Santa Barbara that are quickly becoming part of standard choral repertoire. His choral works have been featured at National ACDA conventions, Mid America Vocal Arts Festival, Southeastern Vocal Arts Festival, and All-State and Regional Choruses throughout the country. He has recently received commissions from the San Francisco Girls Chorus, Heartland Men’s Chorus, St. Louis WOMEN'S Chorale, the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Northern Connecticut All-State Chorus, Colorado All-State Chorus, and numerous church music programs throughout the country. In addition to his work with choral music, Dr. Farthing is an avid proponent of music of the stage and has conducted, directed, or played for many operatic and musical theatre productions throughout his career. Equally at home on the stage, Dr. Farthing has also performed in Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years, the Baker in Into the Woods, Papageno in The Magic Flute. In addition to his duties at Saddleback College, Dr. Farthing is Director of Music Ministries at Anaheim United Methodist Church. He holds degrees from Friends University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Farthing’s teaching philosophy is centered in the core belief that singing is a natural occurrence of the human need to express emotion. He firmly believes that the very best singing occurs when relaxation is at its height and the singer is allowing the voice to be unlocked from any external tension that is blocking it from its highest level of vibration. Dr. Farthing is also a devoted promoter of “music as community.” Choral singing has to be about making sure that it is always “about the music” and not the individual egos of the singer or conductor, a lesson learned from the great choral conductor Eph Ehly.
Humor, sensitivity, directness, kindness, and intense are all words that describe the way in which Dr. Farthing approaches the classroom. While at the University of La Verne, the students, faculty, and administration awarded him with the 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award. His students have continued their study at some of the top Universities and Conservatories throughout the country and Europe.
