Noel Clapham, a talented musician, served effectively as head of the music program and director of the Symphonic Choir at Australasian Missionary College, now Avondale College, for four years, from 1952 to 1956. It was a challenging assignment for him, coming during a critical time of transition following an era of outstanding choral achievement by the choir under George Greer, regarded by some as the greatest choir director at the college since it had been founded.

Clapham started teaching at the college in 1948, when he taught English literature during another teacher's study leave. Although his primary area was history and geography, he was able to meet the challenge of directing the choir during that critical four-year transition while continuing to teach classes. While he initially had felt incertain about following Greer, he enjoyed the experience.

During his leadership, the first on-site Long-playing recording of the choir was made. This innovation contrasted sharply with previous recordings of the choirs, which had been done in a recording studio and then manipulated to add reverberation. This change, coupled with rapidly improving records, yielded a more accurate and pleasing result. At the end of his four years, he was reluctant to hand over leadership of the choir to his successor, Alan Thrift, an alumnus who had had more musical training and experience. He returned to doing classroom teaching in his areas of expertise.  

During his time as music head, he worked for two years with Charles Schowe, pioneer music teacher at the college. That experience, coupled with his own extended tenure at AC, one of the longest on record, informed some writing about the college he did in the 1990s. Sadly, this recording of his recollections was cut short by a terminal illness.

Clapham was noted for his sense of humor and love of language, music, and teaching. He taught full-time until 1982 and part-time another twelve years.

ds/2008

This biography is based on information found in the Avondale College centennial history, Avondale, Experiment on the Dora, Milton Hook, Avondale Academic Press, 1998