About the Conductor

Dr. René Clausen
Music Professor
The Concordia Choir, Conductor

Rene Clausen  World-renowned composer and conductor Dr. René Clausen is currently celebrating his 27th year at Concordia College, as artistic director of the award-winning Concordia Christmas Concerts and conductor of acclaimed The Concordia Choir.

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As artistic director of the Concordia Christmas Concerts, Clausen directs five choirs and a full symphony orchestra featuring 450 student musicians.

Clausen is a renowned composer and arranger, having written dozens of commissioned compositions for famed performances, including MEMORIAL and Crying for a Dream for the American Choral Directors Association. He is also a frequent guest conductor, composer and lecturer. Clausen has conducted such works as Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Brahms’ Requiem and several of his own works including Gloria – in three movements – performed at Carnegie Hall in New York.

His compositions and arrangements are published by Roger Dean Publishing Company, Shawnee Press in the Mark Foster Catalog, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Hal Leonard, Walton and Augsburg Fortress.

Professional Background

Clausen graduated in 1974 from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, and received a Master of Music Performance and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Illinois, Urbana.

Prior to his appointment as conductor of The Concordia Choir, Clausen was director of choral activities at West Texas State University, Canyon, Texas, and assistant professor of choral music at Wichita (Kan.) State University. He also served as senior editor of Mark Foster Music Company and as interim conductor of the National Lutheran Choir of Minneapolis.

In 1996, Clausen was named the Paul J. and Eleanor Christiansen Chair in Choral Music at Concordia.


The Man Behind the Concordia Christmas Concerts

Each year, nationally and internationally renowned composer and conductor Dr. René Clausen transforms the musical ensembles of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., into a vibrant Christmas performance enjoyed by thousands.

As the artistic director of the award-winning Concordia Christmas Concerts, Clausen arranges the entire production, composes a significant amount of the music and directs The Concordia Choir, as well as several pieces that include all five choirs and the full-symphony orchestra.

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