Composer of Grammy-winning choral CD to conduct his choir in Columbia
The recording “Life and Breath: Choral Works by René Clausen” received a Grammy for Best Choral Performance recently. Now, Clausen will bring The Concordia Choir from Moorhead, Minn., to perform in Columbia on his final tour with the renowned ensemble.
The choir will perform at 7 p.m. March 2 at The Basilica of Saint Peter, 1529 Assembly St. Tickets are available online at www.ConcordiaTickets.com, by calling 800-838-3006 or at the door.
The concert, part of the choir’s 15-day 2020 tour of the Southeast includes performances in Wilmington, N.C.; Columbia; Atlanta, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.; Largo, Fla.; Naples, Fla.; Pompano Beach, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; Gainesville, Fla.; Mobile, Ala.; Birmingham, Ala.; Nashville; Willmar, Minn.; Mahtomedi, Minn. and Moorhead, Minn.
Clausen, a world-renowned composer and conductor conducts the 73-voice a cappella choir and is the artistic director of the Emmy award-winning Concordia Christmas Concerts, which is televised nationally each year on PBS.
Clausen has written more than 130 commissioned compositions for ensembles across the world including the St. Olaf Choir and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. On the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, he conducted his composition “Memorial” in Lincoln Center in New York City, a piece originally commissioned by the American Choral Director’s Association.
Clausen, celebrating his 34th and final year at Concordia, has programmed a varied set including a section titled, “The Journey Home,” which includes works by Abbie Betinis, Jake Runestad, Stephen Paulus, Daniel Forrest, and René Clausen. Other composers include Felix Mendelssohn, Alexandre Gretchaninoff, Alfred Schnittke, Moses Hogan, J.S. Bach, and F. Melius Christiansen. The final set includes a number of hymns, folk songs and spirituals.
Touring nationally and internationally since 1920, the choir has performed in nearly every major hall in the United States and continues to affirm its reputation as one of the nation’s finest a cappella choirs. Paul J. Christiansen, son of F. Melius Christiansen was the conductor of The Concordia Choir for 49 years.
Concordia College is a four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America offering more than 60 majors, including 18 honors majors and 12 pre-professional programs.
Special to GoColumbia
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 9:04 AM with the headline "Composer of Grammy-winning choral CD to conduct his choir in Columbia."