Concordia College

During the course of its 25-year history, the Oslo Chamber Choir has established itself as one of Norway’s leading choirs. The group has gained an international reputation for quality and versatility in performance and is particularly famous in Norway for its groundbreaking exploration of vocal folk music. The Oslo Chamber Choir has brought the ancient Norwegian singing tradition called kveding, usually done by single voices, into choir format and presents innovative performances with a high degree of improvisation. The group is conducted by Håkon Daniel Nystedt, grandson of the famous Norwegian composer and conductor Knut Nystedt.


Turtle Island Quartet
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10
Centrum, Knutson Campus Center

Since its inception in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has proclaimed Turtle Island Quartet to be “a unified voice that truly breaks new ground ... a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today.” Turtle Island fuses the notion of the classical quartet with contemporary American musical styles and has helped to redefine the state of the art. This performance will feature selections from  “A Love Supreme,” winner of a 2007 GRAMMY, Turtle Island’s interpretation of music written by visionary saxophonist John Coltrane.

The appearance of the Turtle Island Quartet is supported in part by a grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition, this presentation is supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes a great nation deserves great art, with additional contributions from Minnesota State Arts Board, General Mills Foundation and Land O’Lakes Foundation.


The King’s Singers
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9
Memorial Auditorium

Described by Gramophone Magazine as possessing an “impeccably manicured vocal blend, enchanting the ear from first to last note,” the GRAMMY Award-winning King’s Singers continue to be one of the most sought-after and critically acclaimed vocal ensembles in the world. In celebration of The King’s Singers’ 45th anniversary, the group commissioned three pieces written for The King’s Singers and concert choir to commemorate this occasion. The Concordia Choir will join The King’s Singers to perform these three selections, along with the premiere of a new piece written especially for these two groups by Dr. René Clausen.


American Brass Quintet
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10
Memorial Auditorium

Through its acclaimed performances, diverse programming, commissioning, and educational mission, the American Brass Quintet has created a legacy unparalleled in the brass field. They have performed on five continents and in all 50 of the United States, produced more than 50 recordings and premiered more than 100 new pieces. Hailed as “the high priests of brass” by Newsweek and “positively breathtaking” by The New York Times, the American Brass Quintet has defined itself as one of the elite chamber music ensembles of our time.