News

Luther College Symphony Orchestra releases CD

2008-05-28T15:21:31Z

The Luther College Music Department has released “Russian Masterworks,” a new CD featuring the Luther College Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Baldwin.

The CD includes two major orchestral works by Russian composers: Dmitri Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 107, featuring cellist Eric Kutz, Luther assistant professor of music, and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64.

Online ordering information can be found on the Luther College Music Recordings website, http://music.luther.edu/recordings. CDs are also available through the Luther Bookshop, (888) 521-5039.

The CD was recorded live in the Center for Faith and Life at Luther under the technical production of Bruce Larson, Luther’s technical media specialist.

The Luther College Symphony Orchestra, Luther’s largest and oldest orchestral ensemble, maintains an active rehearsal and performance schedule during the academic year. More than 85 student musicians, representing a variety of academic majors, perform with Symphony Orchestra. Each February, Symphony Orchestra hosts more than 200 high school string players at the annual Dorian Orchestra Festival.

Symphony Orchestra tours yearly throughout the U.S. and maintains a three-week residency in Vienna, Austria every four years, performing in venues such as the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz.

Since 1997, Baldwin has served as director of orchestral activities at Luther. In addition to his work as conductor of the Luther College Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and the Opera Workshop, Baldwin teaches conducting. He holds the bachelor of music degree from Furman University and the master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

He studied conducting with Henry Charles Smith, Cornelius Eberhardt, Sung Kwak, Walter Dulcoux and Fiora Contino.

Baldwin has also served as the musical director of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and the Transylvania Youth Orchestra of the Brevard Music Center, the largest summer music festival in the South.

A 1991 conducting fellow of the Conductor’s Institute of the University of South Carolina and formerly a cellist with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Baldwin maintains an active schedule as clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor.

Soloist Kutz has been a member of the Luther faculty since 2002, and remains active as a chamber and orchestral musician and a soloist. Kutz is a founding member of the Murasaki Duo, a cello and piano ensemble which toured Scandinavia last spring and has performed at several leading festivals. The Duo regularly performs on chamber music series throughout the nation.

As an orchestral musician, Kutz summers in Chicago as a member of the Grant Park Symphony’s cello section. He has appeared in the New York Philharmonic and has been principal cellist of the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and the Juilliard Orchestra.

For four years prior to his arrival at Luther, Kutz was the cellist of the Chester String Quartet, in residence at Indiana University South Bend. He performed over 100 concerts during his tenure with the quartet, and with them toured Switzerland, England and Canada.

Kutz holds degrees from the Juilliard School and Rice University.

Luther College Opera Students to present Mozart's "The Magic Flute" May 2-3

2008-04-28T16:58:13Z

Luther College students of the college spring semester opera performance class will present two performances of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, 7:30 p.m. in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College

Tickets are $10. For complete ticket information, telephone the Luther College Box Office, (563)-387-1357, open Monday-Friday, 9-10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; extended hours Thursdays: open until 7 p.m.

“The Magic Flute” is an opera in two acts, composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work was composed in the form of a Singspiel, which includes both singing and spoken dialogue.

David Judisch, professor of music, teaches the class and is director of the production.

“The Magic Flute” is the story of the wise priest Sarastro, the princess Pamina, her mother the Queen of the Night, and the daring prince Tamino who, with the help of some magic musical instruments, prevails through struggles, schemes and temptations to win the princess. The opera opens with Tamino lost and threatened by a serpent. Three ladies of the Queen save him and show him a miniature portrait of Pamina, with whom he falls instantly in love.

The Queen demands that Tamino free her daughter Pamina from the temple of Sarastro, promising him he can marry Pamina. Her ladies give him a magic flute that can change men’s hearts and a chime of bells that will protect his team of rescuers.

Pamina learns Tamino is coming to free her and that he is in love with her. Tamino reaches the temple and learns the priest Sarastro is not an evil but a noble character.

Tamino and Pamina are brought before Sarastro, see each other for the first time and embrace. A council of priest rules Tamino shall win Pamina if he can pass through the ordeal. The trials include a test of silence, which makes Pamina believe Tamino no longer loves her. She attempts suicide but is dissuaded, and when reunited with Tamino is overjoyed to find he can again speak to her and loves her. They pass through a final ordeal of fire and water with the help of the magic flute.

The Queen and her ladies appear and attempt to destroy the temple but are magically cast out into eternal night. Sarastro unites Tamino and Pamina in the opera’s final chorus.

The cast of the Luther production of “The Magic Flute” includes:
Role                            Friday, May 2                     Saturday, May 3
Tamino                       Charlie Moe                        Andrew Stenson
First Lady                    Katie Curran                      Maggie Boland
Second Lady                Laura Fuller                       Laura Krumm
Third Lady                   Elisabeth Cejpek                Julia Stuebner-Holt
Papageno                    Andrew Stoneking              Matt Tschimperle
Queen of the Night       Christina Douglas               Jennifer Harrison
Pamina                        Brenna Sluiter                    Kylie Toomer
Sarastro                      Henry Hammond                 Sam Williams
Monostatos                  Andrew Jones                     Tyler Best
Spokesman                  Eli Pollock                         Zach Owen
First Priest                Steve Rosas                        Joe Olynyk
Second Priest              Ryan Deignan                       Andy Kust
First Boy                     Jenny Ward                          Beth Jeddeloh
Second Boy                  Emily Moore                         Julia Jenkins
Third Boy                  Jill Phillips                          Jill Phillips
Papagena                    Rachel Barkel                        Mandy Inhofer
1st Armored Man         Colin Marnach                       Andrew Jones
2nd Armored Man        Danny Lee                             Reid Henderson
First Slave                Steve Mallers                         Steve Mallers
Second Slave              Gary Danciu                          Gary Danciu
Third Slave                Dave Schmitt                         Dave Schmitt
Chorus:
Chorus Master – Matt Myers
Women – Hannah Armstrong, Jessica Boese, Laura Val Dietmeyer, Sarah Frederickson, Rachel Gabbert, Susana Hansen, Kelley Kussmann, Mallory Marlatt, Aliyah Richling, Kirstin Roble, Heidi Smorstad, Camille Welter.
Men – Aaron Achartz, Gary Danciu, Matt Drees, Sam Eaton, Brett Epperson, Steve Mallers, Matt Myers, Matt Neuberger, Michael Penick, Dave Schmitt, Tobin Thomas.

Luther College to host fifth annual Distinction in Accompanying Award recital April 27

2008-04-24T16:09:26Z

Luther College will host its fifth annual Distinction in Accompanying and Collaborative Keyboard Performance Award recital Sunday, April 27 at 4 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall of the Jenson-Noble Music Hall on the campus of Luther College.

The competition recital will feature performances by three Luther music student finalists: sophomore Sarah May and juniors Zachary Busch and Brett Cooper.

Each contestant will perform 10-15 minutes of music with solo artists of their choosing. Winner of the competition will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The recital will be followed by an award ceremony and reception. The program is open to the public with no charge for admission.

This year’s panel of judges will include guest judge Robin Guy, nationally known soloist, collaborator and teacher, and Luther faculty members Eric Kutz and Andrew Whitfield.

The competition highlights the scope and importance of the accompanist’s role and is open to Luther sophomore and junior pianists who have excelled in the art of collaborative performance.

Finalists must demonstrate that they have studied and performed a large number and wide range of works, can contribute equally with the soloist in rehearsal and performance, and are able to support, lead and follow in performance as the situation demands.

Keyboard players who meet these standards are called “collaborative artists” as well as “accompanists,” said Jessica Paul, collaborative pianist and vocal coach on the Luther faculty.

The college’s keyboard faculty created the Distinction in Accompanying and Collaborative Keyboard Performance Award to recognize and promote student keyboard players who accompany vocalists and instrumentalists in music studies and performances.

Competition judge Guy is an active soloist and collaborator throughout the United States and has performed with such notables as Henry Charles Smith, Eric Ruske, Tom Bacon and Dan Perantoni. Her guest appearances have included A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor and several international festivals in Brazil and Ecuador.

Guy studied privately with Marilyn Matousek Montie at the Cleveland Institute of Music and received the bachelor of music in education from the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory where she studied with George Cherry. She continued her studies with Jane Abbott-Kirk at Baylor University where she earned the master of music degree. She earned the doctor of musical arts degree at the University of Arizona where she studied with composer-pianist Richard Faith.

Guy is on the faculty of the University of Northern Iowa, where she has served since 1990. She spends her summers performing and teaching piano at the world-famous Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.

Sarah May ’10, the daughter of Harold and Susan May of Rockford, is majoring in music at Luther. She is a 2006 graduate of Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford.

Zachary Busch ’09, the son of Betsy and Gerald Busch of Delafield, Wis., is majoring in music at Luther. He is a 2005 graduate of Kettle Morain High School in Wales, Wis.

Brett Cooper ’09, the son of Brenda and John Cooper of Marion, Iowa, is majoring in music at Luther. He is a 2005 graduate of Linn-Mar High School in Marion.

Luther College Jazz Band to present spring concert April 23

2008-04-23T16:39:39Z

The Luther College Jazz Band under the direction of Tom Bourcier will perform a concert Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The Jazz Band will feature compositions including “Milestones” by Miles Davis, “Bellavia” by Chuck Mangione and an arrangement by Sammy Nestico of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” suite.

The concert will include solo performances by seniors Casey Grove,trumpet, and Sara Jones, alto saxophone, senior Alex Wyatt and junior John Carroll on trombone, and sophomore Pete Russella, guitar.

Bourcier is an instructor of music at Luther, where he teaches improvisation, directs the Jazz Band, and serves as a composer and accompanist for the Luther theatre/dance department.

He has performed across the United States, Europe and the Caribbean in varying musical genres including jazz, classical, rock, folk and blues, avant-garde and improvisational. He is currently a member of the Bourcier, Julin and Wolff trio, performing original compositions in jazz, tango, and folk and blues styles.

Luther College Wind and Percussion Ensemble and Varsity Band spring concert April 24

2008-04-16T16:54:52Z

The Wind and Percussion Ensemble and Varsity Band will present a collaborative spring concert Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Luther College Center for Faith and Life Main Hall on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The 63-member Varsity Band will present six selections “Gaudalcanal March” by Richard Rodgers, “Grand Rapids Suite” by John Zdechlik, highlights from the movie “Annie” arranged by John Higgins, and “An American Elegy” by Frank Ticheli. The band will also present “Variation Overture” by Clifton Williams, conducted by James Buzza, Dorian Festival coordinator, and “Galant Men” by John Cacavas, conducted by Eli Pollock, senior student conductor.

The Varsity Band consists of students representing all classes and a variety of majors offered at Luther.

The Wind and Percussion Ensemble will perform a variety of music including “Pagaent” by Vincent Persichetti, “Blithe Bells” by Percy Grainger, “Lachrymae” by Yo Goto, “Four Scottish Dances” by Malcomb Arnold and “On the Mall March” by Edwin Franko Goldman. The ensemble will also perform “An Old Scottish Melody” as arranged by Charles Wiley, conducted by Tara Meade, a music education senior.

The Wind and Percussion Ensemble is an auditioned ensemble consisting of approximately 50 first and second year students. In addition to family weekend performances and their Dorian Band Festival performance, the Wind and Percussion ensemble gives a full concert each semester.

Both bands are conducted by Frederick Nyline who is completing his 35th year on the Luther faculty.

Luther College to present Brass Ensemble Concert April 20

2008-04-16T16:50:16Z

Luther College will present a Brass Ensemble Concert Sunday, April 20, at 4 p.m. in the Luther Center for Faith and Life Main Hall on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The program will feature the Luther Brass Choir, Trombone Choir, Trombone Ensemble, Trumpet Choir and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. Their repertoire of music is selected from six centuries of musical resources including transcriptions and original compositions.

The Trombone Ensemble will feature Luther senior Luke Sodergren on “The Blue Bells of Scotland.” Sodergren, a music major from Red Wing, Minn., is the son of Scott and Jane Sodergren of Red Wing. Upon graduation in May, Sodergren will pursue the master’s degree in trombone performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Michael Smith, associate professor of music, conducts the Brass Choir and Trombone Choir. Smith holds the bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, the master’s degree from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., and the doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Grant Harville, adjunct faculty in music, conducts the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. Harville holds the bachelor of music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the master of music degree from the University of Michigan.

Benjamin Yates, student conductor of the Trombone Choir and senior music major, is the son of Jack and Carole Yates of Cedar Falls. Upon graduation in May, he will pursue the master’s degree in trombone performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Troy Kowalski, student conductor of the Trumpet Choir and junior music major from Waukesha, Wis., is the son of Mike and Barb Kowalski of Waukesha.

Luther College Cantorei and Philharmonia to perform cooperative spring concert April 16

2008-04-09T17:29:11Z

Luther College Cantorei and Philharmonia will present a cooperative spring concert Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Cantorei will perform a variety of choral pieces including original works for women’s choirs by Canadian composers Eleanor Daley and Stephen Hatfield and Latvian composer Aldonis Kalnins.

The second half of the program moves from Lenten themes to Easter themes beginning with Randall Thompson’s “The Pelican.” The concert will conclude with Charles Albert Tindley’s Gospel classic “The Storm is Passing Over.”

Accompanying Cantorei will be Alesha Arndt, piano, Sky Macklay, oboe, and Tony Guzman, guitar.

Philharmonia will perform a suite from the film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” by William Walton. The program also includes “John Henry” by Copland and a concert aria by Mozart, “Ch’io mi scordi di te? K. 505,” featuring soloists Tana Field, mezzo-soprano, and Jessica Paul, piano.

Conducted by Linda Martin, Cantorei is an auditioned choral ensemble of 85 women. They perform in the annual Christmas at Luther celebration, campus and area worship services, and annual fall and spring concerts.

Conducted by Spencer Martin, Luther associate professor of music, the Luther Philharmonia is an auditioned symphonic ensemble that performs on-campus concerts each semester.

Luther College Jazz Orchestra to present spring concert April 12

2008-04-09T17:20:47Z

The Luther College Jazz Orchestra under the direction of J. Tony Guzmán will perform their spring concert Saturday, April 12 at 7 p.m. in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The concert will be a two-part program. The first session includes compositions from the early jazz era, the swing era, and modern jazz, featuring composers Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus. Jazz Orchestra guitarist Tom Paradise, a senior from Rochester, Minn., will premier his arrangement of “My Favorite Things.”

The second session will feature Latin Jazz, including Argentinean, Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean music.

The spring concert by the 20-piece Luther Jazz Orchestra is a prelude to the ensemble’s tour in Brazil in May. The orchestra will perform in concerts and at workshops in São Paulo, São Caetano do Sul, Cabo Frio and Rio de Janeiro.

Ensemble director Guzmán, associate professor of music and education, holds a degree in electromechanical engineering from the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santiago, Dominican Republic, the bachelor’s degree from Luther College, and the master’s and doctoral degrees from Florida State University. He frequently serves as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator at seminars, workshops, festivals and other music and music education events across the United States and abroad.

Concert Band to perform on April 13

2008-04-09T17:12:53Z

The Luther College Concert Band will perform Sunday, April 13 at 4 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The concert will feature several new works for wind ensemble. The major feature is a composition titled “Symphony in Three Movements” by John Stevens, professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This three-movement work is intended to showcase the many colors of a wind band in a work of symphonic proportions. Luther is one of only twelve distinguished colleges and universities to commission this work.

The program also includes a work based on a song by John Dowland as arranged by Percy Grainger. Assisting in the performance of “Bell Piece” will be Professor Edwin Andereck, tenor, and Professor Brooke Joyce, organist.

The band will perform “Radiant Joy” by Steven Bryant, as well as selections by John Zdechlik and John Philip Sousa. A four-movement piece, “La Suite Eccentrique,” published in 2004 by Japanese composer Masamicz Amano will also be presented.

Under Frederick Nyline’s direction, the Concert Band has performed at numerous state and national music conventions. The band has participated in yearly Midwest tours, two European tours, two extended tours of the West Coast and Hawaii, and four tours of Japan, Hong Kong and China.

Nyline, who joined the Luther music faculty in 1973, also conducts the college’s Varsity Band and Wind and Percussion Ensemble and teaches advanced instrumental conducting.

Nyline holds the master of arts degree in music from the University of Minnesota and served on the university’s faculty as associated director of bands and director of the University Men’s Chorus. His teaching career includes guest faculty member at the University of Illinois and director of bands in the Austin, Minn. school system.

Over the past 15 years Nyline has served five three-month appointments as guest conductor for the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble in Tokyo, Japan. He has served as festival director, guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Pacific Rim nations including Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Luther College Norsemen and Pike Kor to perform concert April 25

2008-04-09T17:01:42Z

The Luther College first-year vocal ensembles, Norsemen and Pike Kor, will present a spring concert Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life on the Luther campus.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Norsemen will perform works by Glennie-Smith, Handl, Knight, Poelenitz, Poulenc and Quick. Pike Kor will perform selections by Antonio Vivaldi, Kinley Lange, Libby Larsen, Robert Wetzler, Craig Hella Johnson and a new work by Kevin Isaacs, titled “O frondens virga.”

Pike Kor and Norsemen are two of seven choral ensembles at Luther. Established in 1981, the groups are comprised of first-year students, selected each fall by audition. They perform on campus for worship services and various events, participate in the annual Christmas at Luther concert and Dorian Vocal Festival, and present a spring concert.

The choirs have also participated in Luther performances of major choral/orchestral works such as Beethoven’s “Mass in C major” and Bach’s “The Passion according to St. John.” Both ensembles have performed at several regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, as well other festivals in the area.

Timothy Peter, Luther professor of music, has led the Norsemen since 1991. Sandra Peter, Luther assistant professor of music, has conducted Pike Kor since 1992.

T. Peter is a native of Minnesota and received his undergraduate degree from Luther College. He holds the doctoral degree from the University of Arizona. Peter also conducts Luther’s Collegiate Chorale, a 90-voice select junior-senior choral ensemble, and teaches conducting.

T. Peter has served as a high school choral director and church musician in Iowa and Arizona. He also held the state and divisional Repertoire and Standards chair for College and University Choirs for the American Choral Directors Association.

Nordic Choir to perform April 8

2008-04-04T16:45:55Z

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.

Luther College Collegium Musicum to perform in concert April 6

2008-04-02T20:44:20Z

Luther College Collegium Musicum will perform in concert Sunday, April 6, 7 p.m., in the Noble Recital Hall of the Jenson-Noble Music Hall on the campus of Luther College.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The concert will feature music from the Renaissance period, performed in Renaissance costumes. Composers include Weelkes, Tallis, Lassus and Isaac.

Instrumentalists will perform dances from John Playford’s “English Dancing Master.”

Collegium Musicum is a 12-voice ensemble that specializes in the music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Its instrumentalists receive instruction and perform on early instruments such as viols, recorders, harpsichord and lute.

Kathryn Reed-Maxfield, Luther instructor of music, conducts the ensemble, assisted by Luther faculty Peter Lingen, viols and lute, and Suzanne Ernst, recorders.

Reed-Maxfield teaches music history, harpsichord, class piano and ear training at Luther. She has taught musicology and early keyboard instruments at Ann Arbor, Mich., music appreciation courses in London and Vienna, and a course on the music of J.S. Bach.

She maintains a studio of private piano students. She has performed as a harpsichord soloist and continuo player throughout the Midwest and in New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Lingen performs guitar, lute and viola da gamba literature and has composed and arranged numerous works for guitar.

Ernst is a flute and recorder consort instructor.

Luther College to host Dorian Invitational Choral Festival and Concert

2008-04-01T22:03:42Z

Luther College will host the annual Dorian Invitational Choral Festival and Concert Tuesday, April 8. Festival events will be in the Center for Faith and Life on the campus of Luther College.

The Dorian Invitational Choral Festival Concert will begin at 4:00 p.m. with each participating school’s ensemble performing for 15 minutes. Those attending the concert can come and go in between performances. Luther College ensembles Pike Kor, Norsemen and a massed choir will begin their portion of the concert at 5:30 p.m.

Both portions of the concert are open to the public with no charge for admission.

Luther invites high school choirs to the campus for the festival. Throughout the day, the choirs are coached and rehearse under the direction of Craig Arnold, Luther professor of music and director of Nordic Choir.

The choirs also participate in voice sectionals with Luther music Professors Arnold; Timothy Peter, Luther director of Norseman and Collegiate Chorale; Sandra Peter, director of Pike Kor and Cathedral Choir; and Linda Martin, director of Cantorei.

Choirs attending the festival include Waukee High School, Waukee, Iowa; Century High School, Rochester, Minn.; Boylan Catholic High School, Rockford, Ill.; Valley High School, West Des Moines, Iowa; Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Wayzata High School, Plymouth, Minn.

Luther is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world with seven choirs, three orchestras, three bands, two jazz bands and nearly 1,000 student musicians.

Luther students perform in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. More than 350 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, church music and performance.

Matthew Tschimperle recipient of Brudos Prize for Opera Performance at Luther College

2008-03-12T17:02:19Z

Matthew Tschimperle, a Luther College junior from New Prague, Minn., has been named the recipient of the annual Alan R. and Sally J. Brudos Prize for Opera Performance at Luther College. Tschimperle will present the Brudos Family Opera Prize Recital during the 2008-09 academic year.

Tschimperle, son of Michael and Margaret Tschimperle of New Prague, is majoring in music at Luther. He is a 2005 graduate of New Prague High School.

Presented annually to a Luther College senior, the Brudos Prize was established by Alan and Sally Brudos to support students of outstanding ability and achievement who are preparing for careers in opera performance. The prize includes a $5,000 award.

The winner is chosen by the faculty of the Luther College Music Department. Selection is based on promise and quality of vocal performance.

Tschimperle studies voice with Edwin Andereck, Luther professor of music. Jessica Paul, associate professor of music, is his vocal coach.

Tschimperle participated in his high school choir, as well as many high school, college and community theatre productions. Most recently, he has been involved in several Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre productions.

In addition to performing in recitals, opera productions and opera scenes, Tschimperle has sung in three choral ensembles at Luther: Norsemen, Cathedral Choir and Collegiate Chorale.

He intends to pursue the masters degree in vocal performance and to pursue a career in opera performance. He hopes to eventually earn the doctoral degree in music and teach voice at the collegiate level.

Luther College is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world with seven choirs, three orchestras, three bands, two jazz bands and nearly 1,000 student musicians.

VocalEssence professional directors to present residency March 15

2008-03-04T15:27:30Z

Luther College to host training and information sessions for music educators and conductors.VocalEssence conductor and artistic director Philip Brunelle and managing director MaryAnn Pulk will present a residency for music educators and conductors on Saturday, March 15 at Luther College.

The residency is open to conductors and directors of music ensembles at public and private schools, churches, community music and theater organizations, professional music organizations, and all other leaders of music ensembles and programs. All other educators, students, managers and singers are also welcome.

There is no charge to participate in the residency, but registration is required. To obtain a registration form, visit web site http://programming.luther.edu/centerstage/VocalEssence, or contact the Luther College Music Department, telephone 563-387-1208.

The residency is in conjunction with the Luther College Center Stage Series performance by VocalEssence, a voice-and-instrument ensemble internationally recognized for daring and innovative exploration of music.

Brunelle and Pulk will teach residency sessions all residency sessions, scheduled 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Jenson-Noble Music Hall at Luther. Participants can make lunch reservations on the registration form to attend lunch with VocalEssence ensemble members.

The residency is supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded in part by the National Endowment of the Arts American Masterpieces, with additional contributions from General Mills Foundation, Land O’Lakes Foundation and the Iowa Arts Council.

Residency schedule:

8:30 a.m. -- registration in Jenson-Noble Music Hall

9 - 10:15 a.m. -- Choral Management 101: Pulk will lead a session for choirs and choral program conductors who have responsibility for program development, marketing, fund raising and personnel management.

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. -- Developing Choral Sound: Brunelle will lead a lecture/demonstration featuring VocalEssence, exploring the musical aspects of choir development and performance in a workshop that invites participant questions.

12:30 -1:30 p.m. -- Lunch with VocalEssence, $15 per person.

1:30 - 3 p.m. -- Reading Session: Brunelle will lead a discussion of the philosophy of literature selection and a reading session of music Brunelle chooses for the event; participants receive a free packet of sample pieces.