George R. Woodhead, a retired Goucher College music professor who also taught at several other educational institutions, died of complications from coronary bypass surgery. He was 73. He was the beloved son of the late George F. Woodhead and Lucy Dixon Woodhead Bingham and step son of the late W.O. Bingham.
Mr. Woodhead taught voice and organ and conducted the glee club at Goucher College from 1962 to 1983. He also taught at Peabody Preparatory School, Essex Community College, Johns Hopkins University and St. Mary's Seminary.
Over the years, he had been a conductor for the Peabody Preparatory Chorus, Peabody Institute's madrigal group and chorus, the Johns Hopkins Glee Club, the Bach Society of Baltimore and the Baltimore Lutheran Chorale. He was also the chorus master of the Baltimore Opera Company.
Mr. Woodhead earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Peabody Institute and supported the institution. He received its Distinguished Alumni award in 1971, and Peabody held a gala in his honor in 1993. Peabody's "Host of Hosannas for George Woodhead" featured a choir of more than 120. More than 400 people attended. The gala raised money to establish the annual George R. Woodhead Prize, which is awarded annually to a Peabody student.
Mr. Woodhead's ability to play the organ was hampered by a 1966 amputation of his left leg above the knee to alleviate circulatory problems -- but it did not keep him from the instrument. "I can't play the big Bach preludes and fugues anymore," he said in a 1975 interview with The Sun. He also lamented, "I love to dance and I have had to give that up."
Mr. Woodhead was born and reared in Sparrows Point. His career in church music started at 13, when he was organist at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dundalk and later at St. John's Lutheran Church of Pimlico.
After service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, he became an organist and choirmaster at Grace Lutheran Church of Hamilton for a decade. In 1956, he moved to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore, where he built its music program from a quartet to a choir.
He also organized and directed in 1976 the inaugural Festivals of Religious Arts at First Church. In 1991,he was named organist and choir director at Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Govans. After his retirement from Goucher College, the Bolton Hill resident was active in Meals on Wheels.
Mr. Woodhead taught voice and organ and conducted the glee club at Goucher College from 1962 to 1983. He also taught at Peabody Preparatory School, Essex Community College, Johns Hopkins University and St. Mary's Seminary.
Over the years, he had been a conductor for the Peabody Preparatory Chorus, Peabody Institute's madrigal group and chorus, the Johns Hopkins Glee Club, the Bach Society of Baltimore and the Baltimore Lutheran Chorale. He was also the chorus master of the Baltimore Opera Company.
Mr. Woodhead earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Peabody Institute and supported the institution. He received its Distinguished Alumni award in 1971, and Peabody held a gala in his honor in 1993. Peabody's "Host of Hosannas for George Woodhead" featured a choir of more than 120. More than 400 people attended. The gala raised money to establish the annual George R. Woodhead Prize, which is awarded annually to a Peabody student.
Mr. Woodhead's ability to play the organ was hampered by a 1966 amputation of his left leg above the knee to alleviate circulatory problems -- but it did not keep him from the instrument. "I can't play the big Bach preludes and fugues anymore," he said in a 1975 interview with The Sun. He also lamented, "I love to dance and I have had to give that up."
Mr. Woodhead was born and reared in Sparrows Point. His career in church music started at 13, when he was organist at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dundalk and later at St. John's Lutheran Church of Pimlico.
After service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, he became an organist and choirmaster at Grace Lutheran Church of Hamilton for a decade. In 1956, he moved to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore, where he built its music program from a quartet to a choir.
He also organized and directed in 1976 the inaugural Festivals of Religious Arts at First Church. In 1991,he was named organist and choir director at Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Govans. After his retirement from Goucher College, the Bolton Hill resident was active in Meals on Wheels.
George R. Woodhead, a retired Goucher College music professor who also taught at several other educational institutions, died of complications from coronary bypass surgery. He was 73. He was the beloved son of the late George F. Woodhead and Lucy Dixon Woodhead Bingham and step son of the late W.O. Bingham.
Mr. Woodhead taught voice and organ and conducted the glee club at Goucher College from 1962 to 1983. He also taught at Peabody Preparatory School, Essex Community College, Johns Hopkins University and St. Mary's Seminary.
Over the years, he had been a conductor for the Peabody Preparatory Chorus, Peabody Institute's madrigal group and chorus, the Johns Hopkins Glee Club, the Bach Society of Baltimore and the Baltimore Lutheran Chorale. He was also the chorus master of the Baltimore Opera Company.
Mr. Woodhead earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Peabody Institute and supported the institution. He received its Distinguished Alumni award in 1971, and Peabody held a gala in his honor in 1993. Peabody's "Host of Hosannas for George Woodhead" featured a choir of more than 120. More than 400 people attended. The gala raised money to establish the annual George R. Woodhead Prize, which is awarded annually to a Peabody student.
Mr. Woodhead's ability to play the organ was hampered by a 1966 amputation of his left leg above the knee to alleviate circulatory problems -- but it did not keep him from the instrument. "I can't play the big Bach preludes and fugues anymore," he said in a 1975 interview with The Sun. He also lamented, "I love to dance and I have had to give that up."
Mr. Woodhead was born and reared in Sparrows Point. His career in church music started at 13, when he was organist at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dundalk and later at St. John's Lutheran Church of Pimlico.
After service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, he became an organist and choirmaster at Grace Lutheran Church of Hamilton for a decade. In 1956, he moved to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore, where he built its music program from a quartet to a choir.
He also organized and directed in 1976 the inaugural Festivals of Religious Arts at First Church. In 1991,he was named organist and choir director at Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Govans. After his retirement from Goucher College, the Bolton Hill resident was active in Meals on Wheels.
Mr. Woodhead taught voice and organ and conducted the glee club at Goucher College from 1962 to 1983. He also taught at Peabody Preparatory School, Essex Community College, Johns Hopkins University and St. Mary's Seminary.
Over the years, he had been a conductor for the Peabody Preparatory Chorus, Peabody Institute's madrigal group and chorus, the Johns Hopkins Glee Club, the Bach Society of Baltimore and the Baltimore Lutheran Chorale. He was also the chorus master of the Baltimore Opera Company.
Mr. Woodhead earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Peabody Institute and supported the institution. He received its Distinguished Alumni award in 1971, and Peabody held a gala in his honor in 1993. Peabody's "Host of Hosannas for George Woodhead" featured a choir of more than 120. More than 400 people attended. The gala raised money to establish the annual George R. Woodhead Prize, which is awarded annually to a Peabody student.
Mr. Woodhead's ability to play the organ was hampered by a 1966 amputation of his left leg above the knee to alleviate circulatory problems -- but it did not keep him from the instrument. "I can't play the big Bach preludes and fugues anymore," he said in a 1975 interview with The Sun. He also lamented, "I love to dance and I have had to give that up."
Mr. Woodhead was born and reared in Sparrows Point. His career in church music started at 13, when he was organist at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dundalk and later at St. John's Lutheran Church of Pimlico.
After service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, he became an organist and choirmaster at Grace Lutheran Church of Hamilton for a decade. In 1956, he moved to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore, where he built its music program from a quartet to a choir.
He also organized and directed in 1976 the inaugural Festivals of Religious Arts at First Church. In 1991,he was named organist and choir director at Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Govans. After his retirement from Goucher College, the Bolton Hill resident was active in Meals on Wheels.
