The Gustavus Choir, under the direction of Dr. Brandon Dean, launches its 2020 Midwest tour on January 31.
On this year’s tour the Gustavus Choir will premier a commissioned piece by Elaine Hagenberg, titled Alleluia. The piece features lyrics taken from a sacred text by St. Augustine. This commission was made possible by the Heilman Sacred Music Endowment at Gustavus. Hagenberg visited campus January 16 to work with the choir.
Other repertoire for the tour ranges from traditional sacred choral texts to contemporary pieces written by composers like Hagenberg. The tour includes stops across Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. The choir will also perform in the Twin Cities January 25 and 26 prior to embarking on the formal tour.
New this year, the tour will feature a local high school choir at most performances. The high school ensembles will open the concert with a short performance of their own before joining the Gustavus Choir for the final piece at the end of the concert.
Established in 1932, the nationally renowned Gustavus Choir maintains an extensive annual touring schedule throughout the United States and travels abroad every four years. Over the past 40 years, the choir has appeared at cathedrals, conservatories, and cultural centers in Scandinavia, Russia, Asia, South Africa, and dozens of countries across Europe. The Gustavus Choir is frequently invited to perform at professional conferences and performed for the King and Queen of Sweden in 2012.
Upon its return, the choir will perform a home concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 15 in Christ Chapel. This performance is free and open to the public and will also be livestreamed.
Gustavus Choir 2020 Midwest Tour
Saturday, January 25 | 7:30 p.m.
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Sunday, January 26 | Church Services
Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church
5025 Knox Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55419
Friday, January 31 | 7 p.m.
The Chapel at Our Lady of Good Counsel
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
featuring the Mankato East Concert Choir (Robin Hughes, conductor)
Saturday, February 1 | 7 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
1655 18th Ave E
Alexandria, MN 56308
featuring the Alexandria Concert Choir (Steve Deitz, conductor)
Sunday, February 2 | 3:30 p.m.
Ascension Lutheran Church
2030 3rd St
Brookings, SD 57006
Monday, February 3 | 7 p.m.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
5500 E 57th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
featuring the Lincoln High School Concert Choir (Linda Conrad, conductor)
Tuesday, February 4 | 7 p.m.
First Plymouth Church
2000 D St
Lincoln, NE 68502
featuring the Lincoln Southwest High School Concert Choir
Wednesday, February 5 | 7 p.m.
Countryside Community Church
13130 Faith Plaza
Omaha, NE 68144
featuring the Omaha Westside Warrior Choir (Doran Johnson and Greg Woodin, conductors)
Thursday, February 6 | 7 p.m.
St. John’s Lutheran
600 6th Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
featuring the Ankeny High School Concert Choir
Saturday, February 8 | 7 p.m.
Atonement Lutheran Church
9948 Metcalf Ave
Overland Park, KS 66212
Sunday, February 9 | 3 p.m.
Bethesda Lutheran Church
1517 Northwestern Ave
Ames, IA 50010
Saturday, February 15 | 7:30 p.m.
Home Concert
Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College
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