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Born: March 15, 1940 - Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: June 21, 2026 - Norfolk, Virginia, USA |
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The American harpsichordst, organist, music director and music teacher, William Allen Shaffer, held degrees in music performance (organ) from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in Ohio, Syracuse University, and the University of Michigan. He also studied at the Akademie Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. His organ teachers included Leo Holden, Garth Peacock, Josef Friedrich Doppelbauer, Arthur Poister and Marilyn Mason. He studied choral conducting with Robert Fountain at Oberlin.
Allen Shaffer became Organist/ Choirmaster at Christ and Saint Luke’s Church, Norfolk, Virginia, in 1989, following the retirement of Grover J. Oberle. He was Oberle’s assistant since 1982. He was only the fourth person to hold the position since Christ and Saint Luke’s Church opened its doors for worship on Christmas Day, 1910. He led the Choir of Christ and Saint Luke’s Church on two tours of England, Scotland and Wales in 2000 and 2002, and produced two CD's of sacred choral music with the choir. He retired from this postion in 2012.
One of Tidewater’s most active musicians Allen Shaffer was Artistic co-director of the Norfolk Chamber Consort, and performed with the Norfolk Chamber Consort on piano, harpsichord, organ and celesta. He was also half of the harpsichord duo Les deux Claveçins. He was for 15 years the principal keyboardist for the Virginia Symphony. He held three two-year terms as dean of the Tidewater Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and held the AGO’s associate degree.
Allen Shaffer retired as Professor of music from Norfolk State University in 1997 after 27 years, where he taught music history, theory and organ. He died of complications due to Parkinson’s disease on June 21, 2026 at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk. |
