Royal Stanton; Choral Conductor, Composer

Royal Waltz Stanton, 78, nationally known choral conductor and teacher whose students included opera star Marilyn Horne. Born in Santa Monica and educated at UCLA, Stanton began his career directing music at Long Beach Polytechnic High School and then became chairman of the music department at Long Beach City College. In 1953, he founded the Long Beach Schola Cantorum, a symphonic choir that sang with Miss Horne among others. He was director of the prestigious Los Angeles Bach Festival for two years. Moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1961, Stanton chaired the fine arts departments of Foothill College in Los Altos and then De Anza College in Cupertino. Stanton founded and for 18 years directed the bay area’s Schola Cantorum, which performed with the San Francisco, Peninsula and San Jose symphonies. A widely published composer and arranger for choirs, Stanton also wrote two books, “The Dynamic Choral Conductor” and “Steps to Singing for Voice Classes.” On Saturday in Sedona, Ariz., of congestive heart failure.