Cobbers Sing at the State Fair

Aug 31, 2012

Sam Kjellberg '11 conducts the State Fair Singers

Sam Kjellberg ’11 saw a void in the Minneapolis-St. Paul music scene: a chamber choir for recent college grads.

“There was a demand for young adults to sing and be in harmony together, but also be a support system for each other,” Kjellberg says. Collegiate choirs provide a built-in group of friends, and after graduation it is hard to find that again.

Enter the State Fair Singers – a group of 16 young adults who all sang in their collegiate choral programs and who want a place to continue singing and socializing. Directed by Kjellberg, this group only rehearsed a few times before performing at the Minnesota Public Radio booth at the Minnesota State Fair four times.

Their final performance at the fair will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3.

Ten of the 16 members are Cobber grads. The rest of the group comprises graduates from St. Olaf, Luther, Yale and the University of Minnesota.

Kjellberg, a music theory and philosophy major, has always had a passion for choir that has shone through his involvement in instrumental ensembles. His primary instrument in college was percussion, playing in The Concordia Band and The Concordia Orchestra. Kjellberg also sang in Männerchor, Chapel Choir and student-conducted ensembles.

With the state fair coming to a close, the State Fair Singers plan to continue rehearsing and performing but under a different (undecided) name. Kjellberg says that several churches have already expressed interest in having the group perform.

“It’s a family. It’s also a social outlet and a job. You’re creating a product with people you enjoy,” Kjellberg says.

And his biggest goal? To make classical choral music more accessible.

“I want to inspire people with the belief that they can understand and think about what seems like a complex art form,” he says.

The State Fair Singers were recently featured as a Regional Spotlight on Classical Minnesota Public Radio’s website.

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