The Knox College Choir will perform its send-off concert on Sunday, March 1. The concert begins at 3 p.m. at First Lutheran Church at 364 East Water Street, Galesburg. This concert will kick off the choir’s upcoming tour in France.

The Knox College Choir is the premier choral ensemble of the College. Under the direction of professor of music and director of choral activities Laura Lane, the choir will perform a diverse selection of music in various styles, from Rennaisance to Romantic. These will include such pieces as Yvers, vous n’etes qu’un villain by Claude Debussy, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck’s 16th-century motet Gaude et laetare, and Herr, nun lässest du by Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn.

Among their repertoire are numerous contemporary pieces from living composers as well. These include Tykus Tykus by Vaclovas Augustinas, a Lithuanian folk song arranged for double choir, Ndikhokhele Bawo, a traditional South African song arranged by Michael Barrett, Heart’s Reflection by Daniel Elder, Paul Mealor’s Locus iste, and Reena Esmail’s Tuttarana, a piece combining traditional Hindustani musical form Tarana with the idea of “tutti” which, in Italian, means “everyone.”

The Chamber Singers, an advanced choir comprised of members of the choir, will perform a selection from James Mac Millan’s modern motet O Radiant Dawn, Ubi caritas by Maurice Duruflé, Dieu, qu’il la fait bon regarder by Claude Debussy, Morten Lauridsen’s rendition of Rilke De ton rêve, and vocal jazz arrangement Butterfly by Mia Makaroff.

A number of the pieces will feature a piano accompaniment, performed by Casey Dierlam.

At the conclusion of winter term, the choir will tour Avignon and Nice, France, from March 16 to March 25. Upon their return, the choir will perform their Home Tour Concert on Friday, March 27, at 7:30 pm in Kresge Recital Hall at Knox College. All choir concerts are free and open to the public.

Choir Members

Includes names, hometowns, and majors of 2019-2020 Knox College Choir members

Soprano

• Ellie Baird, La Grange, IL, Music
• *Corgan Ball, Keokuk, IA, Music Education
• *Maggie Decker, St. Louis, MO, Music
• Lindsay Drozdik, St. Charles, IL, Creative Writing
• *Cordelia Frese, St. Louis, MO, Creative Writing
• Mari Hockett, Hanover Park, IL, Creative Writing
• Gwen O’Connell, Chicago, IL, Creative Writing
• *Anna Rhodes, Avon, IL, Political Science
• Emily Wallace, Marion, IL, Art Education
• *Moya Woods, Portland, OR, Spanish 

Alto

• Lydia Allen, Chicago, IL, Public Health/Biology
• Monica Cardoza, Chicago, IL, Anthropology
• Emily DiBenedetto, Mount Prospect, IL, History
• Rachel Ditty, Delano, MN, Creative Writing
• *Amanda Espinosa, South Pasadena, CA, Political Science
• Abbi Harb, Tempe, AZ, Anthropology/Sociology
• *Kaitlyn Hrivnak, Kewaunee, WI, Theatre
• *Annie Larrea, Plainfield, IL, Environmental Studies
• Sarah Lohmann, St. Louis, MO, Creative Writing/Asian Studies
• Ella McClain, Wichita, KS, Economics
• Eleanor Phan, Hanoi, Vietnam, Economics/Business Management
• Jo Pilcher, Chicago, IL, Architecture
• Ali Saadi, Nice, France, Computer Science/Psychology
• *Katerina Sasieta, St. Louis, MO, Music
• *Sarah Smith, Maryville, MO, Music
• *Abigail Spengler, Bolingbrook, IL, Anthropology/Sociology
• Fay Swift, Houston, TX, Environmental Science
• *Ingrid Wasmer, Chicago, IL, Psychology

Tenor

• James Cook, Chicago, IL, Creative Writing/History
• *Matthew Durdle, Roseville, Physics/Engineering
• *Diego Gutierrez, El Paso, TX, Music Education
• Tanner Nelson, St. Louis, MO, Political Science
• Brandon Ouellette, Monmouth, IL, Religious Studies
• *David Petrak, Darien, IL, Post-Bacc in Studio Art
• Einar Pieler, Crystal Lake, IL, Music
• Michael Velazquez, Galesburg, IL, Political Science 

Bass

• *Olive Colangelo, Lombard, IL, Environmental Science
• *Tom Clark, Galesburg, IL, Music Education
• Benjamin Dolezal, Columbia, MO, Biology
• Justin Garcia, Olympic Fields, IL, Computer Science
• Walter Gardella, San Jose, CA, Psychology
• Shawn Lam, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Research Psychology
• Lorenzo Moreno,  Galesburg, IL, Undecided
• *Jasper Morgan, Champaign, IL, Music
• *Emeka Nkuku, Hillside, IL, Computer Science
• *Jared Smith, Seneca, WI, Chemistry
• *Noah Zand, Kenosha, WI, Elementary Education

* indicates members of Chamber Singers