Following their successful winter concert tours, the Gustavus Choir, under the direction of Conductor Gregory Aune, and Gustavus Wind Orchestra, with Conductor James Patrick Miller, return to the campus to present their Home Concerts on Saturday, February 14. The Wind Orchestra will open the day with their concert at 1:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall and the Choir will follow at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Chapel. Both events are free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.
The Gustavus Choir and Conductor Gregory Aune returned on January 31 from a 16-day concert tour in Great Britain and France. Notes from the members of the Choir and the Companion Tour which accompanied them through England, Wales and France range from “spectacular” and “thrilling” to “perfect” and “live-changing.” The 60-member ensemble performed in St. Paul’s Cathedral and Grosvenor Chapel in London and St. Michael’s Church in Bath before moving into Wales. In Wales, the Choir performed in St. Edward’s Church in Cardiff and presented a joint concert with the Flint Welsh Male Voice Choir in Flint. Back in England, the entourage traveled first to Statford-upon-Avon for Evensong at Holy Trinity Church and on to Oxford for a concert at Christ Church Cathedral. The Gustavus Choir’s 2015 International Concert Tour concluded with two concerts in Paris at the Cathédral de Notre Dame and L’église de la Madeleine.
Following their international tour in 2014, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra completed a regional tour this year introducing first-year Conductor James Patrick Miller to audiences in Long Lake, Winona, Rochester and New Brighton in Minnesota and Tomah and La Crosse in Wisconsin. In addition to their performances in each city, the Wind Orchestra participated in residency activities with junior and senior high school musicians in Tomah, La Crosse, Winona Middle, Junior and Senior High Schools, and Winona Cotter Junior and Senior High. During the course of the week, the Gustavus students and James Patrick Miller worked directly with over 500 young musicians and performed for more than 750 in the schools.
Saturday’s Home Concerts are an annual event and are the culmination of the work and travel over the past 6 weeks. The day of music opens with the Gustavus Wind Orchestra at 1:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall and the Gustavus Choir at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel. Both performances are free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.
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