News

The St. Olaf Choir, regarded by many to be America’s top college choir, will continue Lee University’s Presidential Concert Series on Friday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Conn Center.

 
“When they opened their mouths to sing, an even wall of sound emerged: words clear, notes true. More than that, the notes were felt,” said The New York Times of the choir.

Since its founding in 1912, the St. Olaf Choir has set a standard in the choral art, serving as a model for choirs of all levels. The ensemble’s annual tour brings its artistry and message to thousands of people across the nation and around the world.

St. Olaf Choir returns to Lee’s Presidential Concert Series after a 2003 performance that drew a large and responsive crowd to Conn Center. The choir has taken 13 international tours and performed for capacity audiences in the major concert halls of Norway, France, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and the Twin Cities.

The choir began recording in the 1920s. The annual “St. Olaf Christmas Festival” has aired on national and international radio and television for more than 30 years, and in December 2013, PBS premiered “Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir,” which was filmed at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway.

Conductor Anton Armstrong has led the ensemble since 1990. He is the Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College and only the fourth conductor in St. Olaf Choir history. Armstrong is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University. He is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Publishers.

“Hearing the St. Olaf choir is more than just a musical experience,” said Armstrong. “What makes this ensemble distinctive is the way our singers perform at the highest artistic level and touch the hearts and souls of our listeners. Through body, mind, spirit and voice our audiences are transformed.”

Tickets will be available at the Lee University Box Office in the Dixon Center or by phone (423-614-8343) one week prior to the concert, 3-6 p.m. or online at http://stolaftickets.com/.

For more information on the St. Olaf Choir, please visit http://wp.stolaf.edu/stolaf-choir.

For more information about Lee University’s Presidential Concert Series, please visit https://www.leeuniversity.edu/pcs// or call the School of Music at (423) 614-8240.