Nordic Choir to perform April 8

The Luther College Nordic Choir, one of the top college choirs in the nation, will perform Tuesday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The performance by the 69-member Nordic Choir is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The concert will include the performance of a chamber version of Carl Orff’s celebrated “Carmina Burana” featuring Luther faculty soloists, Karen Kanakis, soprano, and Jacob Lassetter, baritone, accompanied by Du Huang and Xiao Hu at two pianos. The performance will include shorter works by Bernstein, Rutter and F. Melius Christiansen.

Nordic Choir, founded in 1946, is the flagship choral ensemble of Luther College. Craig Arnold, director of choral activities, is conductor of Nordic Choir.

Previously, Arnold was music director of Manhattan Concert Productions and conductor of the New York City Chorale and Chamber Orchestra.  He holds the doctorate in conducting from the Eastman School of Music, the master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College.

Luther College is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world with seven choirs, three bands, three orchestras, two jazz bands, and nearly 1,000 student musicians. Luther’s students perform in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons, and master classes. Over 350 music majors study music theory/ear training, history, education, composition, church music, and performance.

Luther, a selective four-year college located in the scenic bluff country of northeast Iowa, has an enrollment of 2,600 students.