Concordia College

Free Mini-Concert of Sacred A Capella Works

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

GORDON MOE, associate director, Music Organizations

(218) 299-3285, Ext. 339

AMY KELLY, Media Relations director

(218) 299-3642

FREE MINI-CONCERT OF SACRED A CAPELLA WORKS

            Can conductors sing? Discover the sound of a 65-voice choir of conductors performing 12:15 p.m., Wednesday, July 23 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 218 10th St. S., Moorhead. Conductors from 24 states and four countries attending the René Clausen Choral School at Concordia College will sing a free "mini-concert" of sacred a cappella works.

            The concert concludes a week of activities July 19-23 at the Choral School. Each summer high school, church, community and college choir conductors gather to learn from Dr. René Clausen, associate professor of music and conductor of The Concordia Choir and guest clinicians. This year the school welcomes guests Dr. Pearl Shangkuan, professor of music at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Jo-Michael Scheibe, chair of the Thornton School of Music of Choral and Sacred Music at the University of Southern California.
            Eleven years ago, Clausen created a "choral school" with more lecture hours and intense content as opposed to a workshop format to increase the participant's knowledge of style, literature, performance practice issues, and conducting and rehearsal technique. To date, more than 800 conductors have established the Choral School as one of the leading summer choral music experiences.

            Clausen has written over sixty commissioned works, and regularly conducts major choral/orchestral performances, choral festivals, and workshops nationwide. Complete information, including comments from last years’ participants, is available online at http://www.reneclausen.com.

-30-

(kk)

08-108