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Knox College Choir

Knox College Choir Spring 2016 Tour

Six concerts in four states, March 14-April 1

There really isn't anything like singing in a choir. You can't replicate that experience anywhere else. -- Gabriel Ochoa '19

Knox College Choir Director Laura Lane

Every tour is unique in that each year’s choir is different. — Laura Lane, professor of music

The Knox College Choir will give six concerts in four states, during a week-long spring tour of the Midwest. From March 14 through March 18, the acclaimed 43-voice ensemble, directed by Laura Lane, professor of music, will perform in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, before concluding with its annual home concert April 1 on the Knox campus in Galesburg, Illinois.

All concerts are free and open to the public. The tour schedule is:

Monday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave, Iowa City, Iowa

Tuesday March 15, 7:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Topeka, 817 SW Harrison St., Topeka, Kansas

Wednesday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont St., Lawrence, Kansas

Thursday, March 17, 7:00 p.m.
Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, 9300 Nall Ave., Overland Park, KS 66207

Friday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.
Concordia Lutheran Church, 505 S. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO

Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m.
Kresge Recital Hall, Knox College

The concert spans a wide range of eras and styles, from the origins of choral music in the 1500s, to new works such as "Alleluia," a fast, exciting piece by young American composer, Jake Runestad,

Among the unusual works in the concert are "Uletaevajooksevad pilved" by the Estonian composer VeljoTormis and "Balleilakka," from a Bollywood film, "Sivaji: The Boss." "Uletaevajooksevadpilved" is a virtuosic choral work by one of the greatest living composers, sung in the original Estonian, that describes clouds racing across the sky. "Balleilakka" by A.R. Rahman is sung in Tamil and features two soloists and percussion.

Among the most popular choral works in the program is "Ave Maria" by Franz Biebl, which showcases lush harmonies in a complex 7-part arrangement.

The concert also features a set of a cappella works performed by the Knox Chamber Singers, an 18-voice ensemble selected from the members of the choir.

The Knox College Choir is Knox College's premier vocal ensemble. The choir has performed three times in Carnegie Hall and in recent years has embarked on concert tours to Barcelona and the Catalán region of Spain, Italy, England, Austria, the Czech Republic, Washington, D.C., Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, and New York City.

  • The choir kicks off their spring concert tour.

Knox College Choir, Spring 2016 Tour Program:

Verbum caro factum est, Hans Leo Hassler
Sicut cervus, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Ave Maria, Franz Biebl
Alleluia, Jake Runestad
Sleep, Eric Whitacre
Rivers of Light, Ēriks Ešenvalds; Rosie Castle and Aidan Murphy, soloists
Anoj Pusej Dunojelio, Vaclovas Augustinas
Tonight, Eternity Alone, René Clausen
Balleilakka, A. R. Rahman, arr. Sperry

Selections by Knox Chamber Singers:

Psallite, unigenito, Michael Praetorius
My spirit sang all day, Gerald Finzi
Clear and Gentle Stream, Finzi
Lully, Lulla, Lullay, Phillip Stopford
Ule taeva jooksevad pilved, from Autumn Landscapes, Veljo Tormis
Oh Susanna, Stephen Foster, arr. Shaw/Parker
Heimr Arnadalr and Vuelie, from Frozen, Beck, Fjellheim and Hals

Knox College Choir; Laura Lane, conductor; Casey Dierlam, accompanist

Choir Members
Name ~ City, State, Major (if declared) * denotes member of Knox College Chamber Singers

Soprano
Jessica Beckman ~ Owatonna, MN, Creative Writing
*Lara Braverman ~ Vernon Hills, IL, Chemistry/Theatre
Rosie Castle ~ Denver, CO, Elementary Education/Theatre
Hannah Cloh ~ Northbrook, IL, Anthropology/Sociology/English Literature
*Miranda Curtis ~ Raleigh, NC, Theatre
*Danielle Freeman ~ Buffalo Grove, IL, Creative Writing
Makenzie Goldstein ~ Denver, CO, Anthropology/Sociology
*Becky Hixon ~ Davenport, IA, English Literature
*Mary Houlihan ~ Aurora, IL, Psychology
Stephanie Nikitenko ~ Mundelein, IL, Creative Writing/ Pre-Law
Cassidy Snyder ~ St. Louis, MO, International Relations
*Catlin Watts ~ Chicago, IL, Spanish/International Relations

Alto
Stephanie Austin ~ Evanston, IL, Undecided
Jenn Erl ~ Glen Ellyn, IL, Human Rights
*Emma Frey ~ Park Ridge, IL, English Literature
Rachel Horne ~ Redmond, WA, Elementary Education/Creative Writing
Hansini Krishna ~ Roselle, IL, Biochemistry/Music
*Mara Lane ~ Eau Claire, WI, Music/Art History
Michiko Li ~ Tokyo, Japan, Integrated International Studies
*Caitlyn Morgan ~ Geneva, IL, Neuroscience/Psychology
*Madeline Pape ~ Portland, OR, Music
Haley Richter ~ Minneapolis, MN, Psychology
Kati Stemple ~ Rockford, IL, International Relations

Tenor
Abenicio Casias ~ Denver, CO, Music
Lee Foxall ~ Portland, OR, Environmental Studies/Spanish
*Samuel Fredericksen ~ Highland, IL,Undecided
*Danni Gilmour ~ Mount Morris, IL, Classics
*Tommy Hintz ~ Geneva, IL, Environmental Studies
Alex Kellogg ~ Yellow Springs, OH, Music
*Ben Lambert ~ La Grange, IL, Biology
David Petrak ~ Darien, IL, Undecided

Bass
*Eric Coats ~ Chicago, IL, Economics
Edward Freeman ~ Chicago, IL, Undecided
Alex Gallo ~ Glen Ellyn, IL, Music
McLeod Sumner ~ Portland, OR, Anthropology/Sociology
Zak Metalsky ~ Appleton, WI, Theatre
Shubham Moitra ~ Mumbai, India, Economics/ International Relations
*Aidan Murphy ~ Prairie View, IL, Creative Writing
*Gabriel Ochoa ~ Phoenix, AZ, Undecided
Benjamin Rezko ~ Chicago, IL, Theatre
Dakota Stipp ~ Galesburg, IL, Computer Science
Tom Trudeau ~ Raleigh, NC, Integrated International Studies
*Max Wallace ~ Watseka, IL, Political Science/Economics

Choir Board
Tommy Hintz, President
Danielle Freeman, Treasurer
Kati Stemple, Secretary
Dakota Stipp, Secretary
Michi Li, Public Relations

Published on February 29, 2016