Walter Rudolph

Walter B. Rudolph is General Manager of KBYU-FM and has developed and/or established broadcast productions of numerous local lectures, concerts and recitals given at Brigham Young University, plus broadcasts of the Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, Utah Festival Opera, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, the Madeleine Festival, and Temple Square Concert series. He also oversees the various administrative, future planning and developing technology issues as they pertain to KBYU-FM.

He has produced nationally and internationally recognized documentaries on such noted singers as Jussi Björling, Giorgio Tozzi, George London, Hans Hotter and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (in progress), plus numerous other projects, including the Bayreuth Festival, jazz pianist Valerie Capers, and a CD recording/broadcast of previously unrecorded east German organs associated with J.S. Bach.

Mr. Rudolph first met Anders Björling in 1974 while teaching in the University of Minnesota, Morris. A Tribute to Jussi Björling was arranged on the campus that included displays from the Metropolitan Opera, a presentation by Anders Bjorling, and a recital by tenor Ray Arbizu. Another similar program was presented at Brigham Young University in which Lars Björling presented a recital, Anders showed slides and spoke, and memorabilia was displayed, again with participation from the Metropolitan. This culminated with the first of Mr. Rudolph's radio programs on Jussi Björling, which marked the 20th anniversary of Jussi's passing in 1980. It was heard on stations all over the United States and garnered favorable comments from abroad as well. Robert Merrill, Licia Albanese, Francis Robinson, Lawrence Alvary, Anders, Lars and Rolf Björling, Claudia Cassidy and Giorgio Tozzi all contributed.

When the definitive biography from Andrew Farkas and Anna Lisa Björling was released, Mr. Rudolph did another program, providing an extended review of the book, and again memorializing Mr. Björling. This was followed by broadcasts of two lectures recorded at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota with Anders Björling and Andrew Farkas.

As executive producer for KBYU-TV, he focuses on fine arts projects, which include the American Piano Quartet, the BYU Men's Chorus, the BYU Chamber Orchestra, poet Leslie Norris, pianist Stella Simakova and Easter Song a national production featuring the combined ensembles of the BYU School of Music.

He holds a BA in vocal performance and MA in musicology from Brigham Young University. While a student, he worked part-time in public radio for five years before teaching for the University of Minnesota and then singing with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Music of the Baroque. Since returning to Utah, he has performed with Utah Opera, Utah Symphony, Utah Pro Musica, and Utah Bach Choir.

He is currently a board member of the Madeleine (Cathedral) Festival of the Arts and Humanities, Utah Festival Opera, Logan, and an Advisory Board member of the Jussi Björling Society - USA.