Hope College to Feature St. Olaf Choir in Dimnent Chapel Concert on Thursday, Feb. 10

HOLLAND - The world-renowned St. Olaf Choir, under the direction of Anton Armstrong, will perform at Hope College on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.

The performance is part of a 16-city tour, which includes the honor of performing the final concert of the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association at the new Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The choir then flies across the country to perform at Carnegie Hall the next day, and will arrive in Holland just four days later.

Founded in 1912 and a creative force behind the a capella tradition, the St. Olaf Choir is the premier ensemble of Minnesota's St. Olaf College, and is best known today for its performances in the annual, internationally broadcast "St. Olaf Christmas Special" on PBS. But their live performances and recordings have built the reputation the choir has today.

"The St. Olaf Choir... is one of a much more select and precious group of choruses that can sing a gorgeous and absolutely focused unison that is alive and that has substance, shape and energy," "The Washington Post" has said. "A performance tour de force, carried out with poise and power that brought the audience to its feet."

Under the direction of alumnus Dr. Anton Armstrong, who has conducted the choir since 1990, the 75-member choir has developed a powerful presence of global diversity in its repertoire. The ensemble has released 19 recordings, including, most recently, "Great Hymns of Faith, Vol. 2."

In anticipation of a Norwegian tour in June, the performance includes Edvard Grieg's "Pinsesalme (Peer Gynt, op. 23)" and Knut Nystedt's "Be Not Afraid." Works by J. S. Bach, Charles Ives and Johann Michael Haydn will also be performed in the first half. The second half of the evening will feature spirituals, world music and new works.

Armstrong said that the program was created to celebrate the traditions and legacies of the choir.

"This includes the masterpieces in the choral repertory, as well as the music that is part of the Lutheran and Norwegian roots of St. Olaf College. It is also part of our tradition to present a world view, and we are always building our repertory to bring the sounds of many cultures to the stage, such as the Venezuelan lullaby "Duerme Negrito."

Tickets for the performance are now on sale at the theatre lobby box office of the DeWitt Center at Hope, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890. Tickets are $20 for the general public, and $10 for Hope College students and children 18 and under.

The DeWitt Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located on College Avenue at 12th Street.

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