DATE: Thursday, September 25, 1997          TAG: 9709240159

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: CLOSE-UP 

SOURCE: Kathryn Darling 

                                            LENGTH:  103 lines

BOB SHOUP LEADS VIRGINIA CHORALE, VIRGINIA SYMPHONY CHORUS

From the window ledge at his elbow, Bob Shoup pulls out an Italian language dictionary and looks up the word piatto.

``Boring, plain,'' he says.

``Oh, dish. It means pasta dish.''

His favorite restaurant, Pasta Piatto in Pittsburgh has just that, he said, fantastic pasta dishes.

The new director of the Virginia Chorale and chorus master of the Virginia Symphony Chorus, both based in Norfolk, says he hasn't been in town long enough to develop a favorite nightspot here.

Since August, Shoup and his wife, Kate, have been settling in to Hampton Roads and their home in Portsmouth.

It was hard to leave their home state of Pennsylvania, says Shoup, but he was drawn by the Hampton Roads area's commitment to the arts and was excited by the possibilities he saw here.

Shoup plans to develop programming that is ``innovative, creative and ground breaking.''

The changes in programming are already evident in this season's schedule. The final performance in May will be at Nauticus and part of the International Arts Festival. It will feature an a cappela program of music from around the world, and Shoup hopes to include a special selection of music he learned while conducting a choir in Malawi.

A few years ago, Shoup took a group of musicians from his church to the African country to share their cultural heritage.

His choir members taught the Malawins American spirituals and the Malawins taught them worship songs, many of which had been passed on orally. Shoup transcribed the songs with their pulsating rhythms and plans to teach them to the chorale.

``I didn't take this position to maintain where things were when I arrived,'' he says. ``I want to explore the greatest, biggest, most exciting opportunities for these groups and see what can happen. MTV, video rentals, movie houses are more visual and stimulate more of the senses than concerts do.''

Concert attendance is down nationwide. That's a trend he'd like to change in Norfolk.

Name: Robert Andrew Shoup (pronounced like ``shout'' with a p).

Nickname: Bob.

What brought you to Norfolk? The artistic opportunity of leading the chorale and the Virginia Symphony Chorus.

Birthplace: Erie, Pa.

Birthdate: June 25, 1967.

Occupation: Music conductor and director of the Virginia Chorale and the Virginia Symphony Chorus.

Marital status: Married to Kate for five years.

Children: Not yet. We have a lone dog, Sampson, named after an opera character, and we're trying to decide if there is going to be a Delilah.

Last book read: ``The Runaway Jury,'' by John Grisham. My favorite book is ``Cry the Beloved Country,'' by Alan Payton.

Favorite movie: ``Glory.''

Favorite magazine: Time magazine and Mac User.

If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? I don't think I would. I love the opportunity of living life and exploring what it means for me. If I had to choose, I would change places with any of the apostles to be able to spend a day face-to-face with Christ. It would be terribly challenging.

Biggest accomplishment: Finding someone who is as beautiful a person as my wife is to spend my life with.

Most embarrassing moment: I was backstage during an opera workshop performance and was trying to turn on a flashlight. It was one of those 12-in-one tools - a Swiss army flashlight. I turned on this very loud siren in the middle of someone's death aria. I was a college student and couldn't even figure out how to turn it off. The director got backstage and silenced it in record time.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Have more self-discipline.

Perfect way to spend the day: Anything involving laughter, friends and family.

Favorite vacation spot: On a lake in northwestern Wisconsin. My wife's family owns property next to each other. The aunts, uncles and cousins plan vacations there at the same time, and it's a lot of fun.

Pet peeve: Mediocrity both in myself and in others.

First job: When I was in my middle teens I was a substitute organist at churches around Butler, Pa., where I grew up.

Worst job: I was a customer service representative for a newspaper. It was a thankless job. We were the go-betweens for customers and a management that didn't care.

Hobbies: Golf, tennis, spectator sports, time with my wife and my dog, reading and movies.

Favorite restaurant: I don't have one here yet. In Pittsburgh, my favorite restaurant is Pasta Piatto.

What do you like most about Norfolk? The hospitality of the people, the enthusiasm and support for the arts, and the climate.

What do you like least about Norfolk? No Steelers and no Pirates. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

GO SEE HIM

What: Bob Shoup leads the Virginia Chorale in ``A Tribute to

Brahms and Schubert''

When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Where: First Presbyterian Church, Colonial and Redgate Avenues

How much: $12.50 to $20

Call: 627-8375

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