Wayland D. Rogers—a singer, conductor, teacher and celebrated composer based in Chicago—passed away Sept. 9 after a long illness. He was 78.
Rogers was born to Othal and Dova ( Barrier ) Rogers on Dec. 26, 1941, in Wayne County, Kentucky. He was the youngest brother of Lucille Eads ( deceased ), Inadene Tatum ( deceased ), Alice Van Hook ( deceased ), O.D. Rogers, Jr. and Harold Rogers.
He was artistic director/conductor of The Camerata Singers of Lake Forest for 15 years and music director at North Shore Unitarian Church ( Deerfield, Illinois ) for 25 years. He held faculty appointments at Northwestern, DePaul, Loyola ( Chicago ), North Park, Western Kentucky and Lambuth universities as well as the Music Institute of Chicago. In 1986, Wayland received a Grammy nomination for best chamber music award in a recording of Mozart with the Chicago Symphony Winds and was inducted into the Wayne County High School Hall of Fame in 2004.
Wayland is survived by brothers O.D and Harold Rogers and a host of adoring nieces and nephews. Celebrations of Wayland's life will be held in Chicago and Lexington, Kentucky, once restrictions on large gatherings are lifted.
Gifts in memory of Wayland may be made to the North Shore Unitarian Church ( Deerfield ) for the Wayland Rogers Scholarship Fund and to the University of Kentucky School of Music Scholarship Fund for a scholarship in Wayland's name. Please make checks payable to the University of Kentucky with Wayland Rogers memorial in the memo line. Mail to UK Philanthropy, 210 Malabu Dr., Ste 200, Lexington, KY 40502; or visit UKY.networkforgood.com .
Arrangements by Cremation Society of Illinois, 773-281-5058 or Cremation-society.com
