Carl William Lesch (1924–1983) was an American Catholic educator, director, and musical conductor and instructor associated with many institutions in the New York Metropolitan area. Lesch started his career as a young man in the 1940s when he took over the position of choral director at St. Margaret Mary's Church in

Midland Beach, Staten Island Midland Beach (formerly known as Woodland Beach) is a neighborhood of Staten Island in New York City. It lies along the east-central coast of the island, in the area known locally as the "Mid-Island, Staten Island" or the " East Shore". To its im ...

. There he organized a new boys choir and eventually led this group, serving as conductor, to the a first-place gold cup victory in a Town Hall music competition. In 1949 he became organist and choirmaster of St. Henry's Church in

Bayonne, New Jersey Bayonne ( ) is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is situated on a peninsula located between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. As of ...

and quickly organized a choir of 60 men and boys who would go on to local fame when their performances began to be broadcast live on ''

The Catholic Hour Fulton John Sheen (born Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) was an American bishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1 ...

'' in 1954 and 1955, as well as concertized throughout the metropolitan area. For 10 years in this era they put on an annual Easter Sunday Concert at the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. From his work at St. Henry's the

Archdiocese of Newark The Archdiocese of Newark is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and Catholic school, schools ...

promoted Lesch to assistant director of music. In that position he conducted massed choirs inclusive of all of the high schools in the diocese, with performances at

Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan un ...

. Lesch is perhaps most remembered for his work in his home community of

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

. He served as director of music, and led the men's and boys' choir, of Sacred Heart Parish on Staten Island from the 1960s until his death. A graduate of

St. Peter's Boys High School St. Peter's Boys High School is an American Catholic all-boys' high school, located in the West New Brighton area of the Staten Island borough of New York City, New York. The school is affiliated with the Christian Brothers of St. John Bap ...

, he went on to teach there and organized their musical performances for twenty-five years, as well as lent his talents to other island institutions including Monsignor Farrell High School,

Moore Catholic High School Moore Catholic High School is an American private, Catholic school in the Bulls Head neighborhood of Staten Island, New York. It was founded by the Presentation Sisters of Staten Island in September 1962 and named for Mary Young Moore, a benefic ...

, and Troubadors of Song Chorus, amongst others, til his death in 1983. His tributes as director from this period include revivals of “ Oklahoma!” “ Annie Get Your Gun” “

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

,” “ Hello Dolly,” “

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song " Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a ...

,” “ On The Town” and “

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

”, amongst many. Organized in 2009, the ''St. Peter's High School Glee Club and Seton Chorale Alumni'' association, made up of graduates of St. Peter's Boys and St. Peter's Girls High Schools, operates a scholarship fund in honor of Lesch. They have performed a Christmas-time show each December in St. Peter's Church in New Brighton, Staten Island since 2010, which raises money for this fund. St. Peter's Glee Club & Seton Chorale Alumni Christmas Concert

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesch, Carl 1924 births 1983 deaths American choreographers American male conductors (music) American musical theatre directors Schoolteachers from New York (state) People from Staten Island Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark Catholics from New York (state) 20th-century American educators Educators from New York City 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians