Carlton Jones Lake

Who is Carlton Jones Lake?

Dr. Carlton Jones Lake was an internationally known choral conductor and music educator. He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Born of Welsh parents, he was the son of the late Ellen Jones and Isaac Lake. He was raised in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania where he was surrounded by the choral traditions and festivals of Welsh culture. Dr. Lake had performed with his choirs throughout the world. He founded the Philadelphia Boys Choir in 1961 and conducted that choir at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales in 1968. He then founded the internationally known Academy Boys Choir, and the Performing Arts School of Philadelphia, from which he retired as director in 1985. The Academy Boys Choir completed international tours of Jamaica, and London, Paris and Wales including the Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. The choir performed for President Gerald Ford on July 4, 1976 as part of that year's bicentennial celebrations.