Larson given Gold Note Award
The Thursday Music Club of Greater Grand Forks is pleased to announce their Gold Note Award winner, G. Paul Larson. The award is given to a person who has done much for the encouragement and promotion of music in the Greater Grand Forks area.The Gold Note Award was first given in 1995. The purpose of the award was to recognize persons who have supported music in the Greater Grand Forks area in an outstanding manner. The qualifications are as follows:
“Recipients may be performers, producers, teachers or other citizens interested in promotion opportunities for the enjoyment and appreciation of music in the Greater Grand Forks area.”
G. Paul Larson is a well-known tenor in our area. He has sung at numerous weddings and funerals. He has performed solo roles with many community musical groups and is the director of the ND District for Metropolitan Opera auditions.
Many will remember his participation in the Three Grand Forks Tenors Concert, which opened the Empire Arts Center. Larson and two other local tenors, Ron Oltmanns and Tom Trelfa, also performed a fund raiser for the Arts Center.
Larson was a professor of Economics at UND from 1962 until his retirement in 2005. He is a native of Ada, Minnesota, and attended Concordia College in Moorhead. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Barb, and they have two children, three grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Larson was encouraged in his music by his mother, whose college major was music. His father was also musical. He credits his experience singing with Paul J. Christianson as a musical highlight of his career.
Larson is very active in other organizations. He has served on the church council of United Lutheran Church, and sings in the choir. He is active in Lions and has been District Governor, belongs to the Kem Temple and directs the Chanters. He played in the Elks Band and also with the 9th District Legion Band. He is a skilled carpenter and developed his love for opera while working in the garage and listening to opera on Minnesota Public Radio.
Larson views music as a lifelong enjoyable activity. He feels that kids should not ever have to choose music over other activities, but also wishes that there were more opera opportunities in Greater Grand Forks.