James Ralston Obituary

Dr. James S. Ralston

Funeral services for Dr. James S. Ralston will be held at 11:00 a.m. , Saturday, November 17, 2012, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vermont. Burial will follow at Pioneer Cemetery. Dr. Ralston died on November 7, 2012, at Pioneer Ridge.

He was born in Columbia, Missouri, on December 18, 1930, to Lawrence T. and Minnie S. Ralston. In 1944 the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from Southwest High School in 1948. He earned an Associate Degree from Kansas City, Kansas, Junior College in 1950 and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Kansas in 1952. He earned a Master's degree in Music Education in 1958 and a Ph.D. in Music Education in 1973, both from the University of Kansas.

Dr. Ralston served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956 and remained in the Naval Reserve program, retiring as a Commander, USNR-R in 1974. He taught choral music at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, from 1956 to 1962. Ralston joined the faculty of the University of Kansas in 1962 as a visiting lecturer in choral music. The following semester he was a graduate assistant in the School of Education. He was appointed assistant professor in choral music in 1963 and became a full professor in 1978. He retired from KU in 1994.

Professor Ralston also served as Chair of the Department of Ensembles at KU from 1976 to 1983; from 1983 to 1994, he was Director of the Choral Division. He was also associated with the Midwestern Music camp beginning in 1964. During his tenure at KU, Dr. Ralston worked with eminent choral directors such as Donald Swarthout, Clayton Krehbiel, and Robert Shaw. His choirs also performed with the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Kansas City Symphony, and the Wichita Symphony. They also performed for the conventions of Kansas Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, and American Choral Directors Association.

Among the major works for chorus and orchestra that Professor Ralston conducted during his tenure are the following: J.S. Bach, Mass in B Minor and St. John Passion; Beethoven, Missa Solemnis; Berlioz, Requiem; Bernstein, Chichester Psalms; Brahms, German Requiem; Britten, War Requiem; Handel, The Messiah, Solomon, and Dixit Dominus; Haydn, Creation; Mendelssohn, Elijah; Mozart, Grand Mass in C Minor and Requiem; Orff, Carmina Burana; Stravinsky, Symphony of Psalms; and Verdi, Four Sacred Songs (for Michael Palmer); and Mahler, Eighth Symphony (for William McGlaughlin).

During his career, Ralston was actively involved in the preparation and performance of many new works, mostly in conjunction with the Symposium of Contemporary Music at the University of Kansas. Included among the many composers were Lukas Foss, Norman Dello Joio, Vincent Persichetti, Gunther Schuller, and Libby Larsen.

In 1970 Dr. Ralston initiated a master's degree program in choral conducting at KU, and in 1973 he began the doctoral degree program in choral conducting. Under his supervision, more than thirty students completed graduate degrees in choral conducting from the University of Kansas.

In nearly forty years of service to music and music education in the state, he conducted over fifty concerts of major choral works at KU, more than thirty Vespers performances, and taught choral music to students numbering in the thousands. In 1997 he was inducted into the Kansas Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.

Dr. Ralston was a member of the Monday Rotary Club and served as their song leader for forty-six years. Rotary honored him as a Paul Harris Fellow. From 1956-1962 he directed the Welborn Community Church Choir in Kansas City, Kansas; in the 1960's he was the choir director at Plymouth Congregational Church; from 1973-2008 he was the choral director for Trinity Episcopal Church. Other honors include the Federated Music Club's 1999 Kansas Musical Family of the Year Award and the 2003 Phoenix Award in Musical Arts.

He married Susan Frederick on May 17, 1975, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence. He is survived by his wife Susan of 37 years as well as four daughters: Julie Hodges and husband David, Keizer, Oregon; Joi Monnington and husband Mark, Kansas City, Kansas; Meghan Adams and husband Nick, Overland Park, Kansas; and Natalie Wilemon and husband Zane, Austin, Texas. Dr. Ralston also leaves thirteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother Robert T. Ralston and a sister Jean Barns.

Memorials may be made in his name to Trinity Episcopal Church and to KU Endowment for a graduate scholarship in choral conducting. Contact KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, Ks. 66044 A memorial concert at KU will take place in the spring.

Visitation will be on Friday, November 16, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent to rumsey-yost.com.

Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.

Published by Lawrence Journal-World on Nov. 14, 2012.
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Memories and Condolences
for James Ralston

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With the upcoming anniversary of Dr. Ralston's death, I want to commemorate his death with my thanks for his fifteen years of choral training that included choral diction, timing, and pacing. Thanks to my perseverance with his arduous church choir training, I am completing a series of high definition memory-cognition building films with the use of choral speaking puppetry. I am the vocal talent, switching my voice between five difference characters and myself (Mr. Rodger's puppet speaking style). My on-going educational work has been a life-long dedication in serving others. Before Dr. R., I performed professionally with 2-3 character voices, but his training greatly influenced and expanded the scope of my work. I was able to personally thank him for this before he passed away, in a letter, and personally. He was astounded that his amazing talent was, and is, preserved in so many permanent directions that will directly affect others. My online professional name is: Jan Kuyper Erland

Jan Erland

Student

November 8, 2019

I sang for Doctor Ralston at KU in the late 1970's. Best times musically in my life. He was in fact, larger than life. I got a chance to sing for Robert Shaw and I credit that opportunity to Dr. Ralston. I will miss you, but you live on in the music. Your legacy is out here.

November 28, 2012

I grew up with Julie, living in the same neighborhood and attending the same schools. Dr. Ralston gave an enormous amount to the Lawrence music community. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Julie, and your family at this time.

Charlene Eberhart Simmons

November 27, 2012

James was, without doubt, an incredible influence on my life. I am so appreciative of all that he taught me in my time with the Chamber Choir.

Francis Smysor

November 21, 2012

It was a privilege to be in the Trinity Church choir and receive excellent musical instruction from Jim. I have been able to apply his phrasing, rhythm, meter, and diction instruction to my own choral speaking memory & learning curriculum using puppetry in multiple voices. I feel very fortunate to have worked with Jim. He was a great talent and will be missed.

Jan Erland

November 18, 2012

At Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, in about 1960, I took a music theory class from Mr. Ralston and I remember it well. For the class I wrote an arrangement for George Gershwin's "Summertime", from "Porgy and Bess", to be played by French horn, flute, and bassoon. Unfortunately, I never got around to getting people together to actually play it. If only...

Frank Janzen

November 17, 2012

Susan,
My deepest sympathy for you and your family. I always loved chatting with Jim at your music parties. He was such an interesting and personable guy.
Best Wishes,
JB

John Bowman

November 17, 2012

We would like to express our deepest sympathies.
Bob & Lynn Basow

Lynn Basow

November 17, 2012

I was a student at Washington HS from 57 to 61 and took music all four years. He was my favorite teachers and will always remember him

Joanne Knittle-Silver

November 16, 2012

I have fond memories of Jim coming to give support at each of our “musical productions” at Schwegler. He was always so proud of his wife and of his daughters! My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time. Jim had a huge impact on our whole community and he will be sorely missed by many.

Caroll Steacy

November 16, 2012

My prayers go to the Ralston family. Dr. Ralston was the conductor in my KU Chorus class, and was dynamic and inspiring. I'll never forget when we sang Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. The last note was held incredibly long and faded out slowly to a whisper. It gave me goosebumps. May God give you His peace.

Hendle Pendleton Rumbaut

November 14, 2012

Dr. Ralston was the most dynamic and exciting conductor that I've ever had the pleasure to sing for. My years in the University Chorus were fantastic ones because of his love for great music. We sang the Brahms Requiem and Carmina Burana which are always going to be in my head because of his enthusiasm. I'm so grateful to him and will always remember his energy. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Jeanne Kasten

November 14, 2012

Jim became a great friend after comming to the Holcom Recreation Center to walk in the mornings --- he will truly be missed

Jacqueline Brazil

November 14, 2012

My prayers and sympathies are with Susan and the Ralston family. I have fond memories of singing for Jim at Trinity during my years in Lawrence.

Chris Carter

November 14, 2012

Jim was my mentor/teacher/friend through high school, college & grad school.

Dick Morris

November 14, 2012

I have the greatest memories of singing in University Chorus directed by James Ralston! His selection of music and the energy he brought to the Chorus enriched my education at KU and my years after KU. James Ralston is an unforgettably dynamic instructor!

John Dreiling

November 14, 2012

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