Concordia A Cappella Choir to embark on Spring 2026 Tour

Concordia University, Nebraska’s internationally acclaimed A Cappella Choir will travel throughout Wyoming, California, Nevada and Colorado on their spring 2026 tour from March 5-15. 

The A Cappella Choir has toured locally, nationally and internationally. The group also performs at school assemblies and participates in Sunday worship services and Concordia chapel services. Their repertoire for this tour includes a new composition by Benjamin Culli titled “Gratia Illuminat” for a cappella choir as well as Kyle Pederson’s a cappella dual choir setting of “Awake! Arise!” and an English translation of the fourth movement of Johannes Brahms’ Requiem, “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place” for choir and reduced piano score. 

The choir will also perform “Find the River Flowing On”, a new piece arranged by David von Kampen with lyrics by Andrea von Kampen. The piece was premiered at the university’s 2025 fall Honor Choir Day.  

The choir is directed by Dr. Kurt von Kampen, Concordia music department chair and professor of music. Von Kampen earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Concordia University, Nebraska, a master’s degree in choral conducting from Oakland University and a doctorate in choral music education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Professor of music and renowned pianist Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo will tour and perform with the choir. She holds a degree in music education from Concordia University Chicago and two graduate degrees in piano performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Admission to the concerts is free. Free-will offerings will be collected at each concert to help defray the tour costs. 

Tour Itinerary 

Thursday, March 5 

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, Wyoming 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 6 

Grace Lutheran Church, Sandy, Utah 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Saturday, March 7 

Faith Lutheran Church, Fair Oaks, California 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Sunday, March 8 

Faith Lutheran Church, Fair Oaks, California 

Worship 9:30 a.m. 

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Livermore, California 

Concert 4 p.m. 

Tuesday, March 10 

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Lodi, California 

Assembly 2 p.m. 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Wednesday, March 11 

Bethany Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Thursday, March 12 

Linfield Christian School, Temecula, California 

Assembly 9:25 a.m. 

Faith Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 13 

Lutheran Church and School of Messiah, Grand Junction, Colorado 

Concert 7 p.m. 

Saturday, March 4 

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado 

Concert 4 p.m. 

Sunday, March 14 

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado 

Worship 8 a.m. 

Ascension Lutheran Church, Littleton, Colorado 

Worship 10:30 a.m. 

Trinity Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado 

Concert 4 p.m. 

Sunday, March 22 

Lincoln, Nebraska (TBD) 

Home Concert 3 p.m. 

St. John Lutheran Church, Seward, Nebraska 

Home Concert 7 p.m. 

Students in the A Cappella Choir include: 

Soprano I 

Sophia Ball, Junior, Worden, Illinois, B.S. Education (Secondary) English Language Arts, LTD 

Brianna Burns, Sophomore, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, B.A. Theology (Pre-Deaconess) 

Lydia Edmonds, Sophomore, Gretna, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary), Music Minor 

Michaela Gibbs, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.A. Music (Vocal Performance), B.A. Journalism and Public Relations, Spanish Minor 

Sophia Matthias, Freshman, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (K-12 Art) 

Eden Perling, Freshman, St. Robert, Missouri, B.S. Education (Secondary), History, English, LTD 

Soprano II 

Hadleigh Collison, Freshman, Pierce, Nebraska, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Bethany Gebhardt, Senior, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD 

Kailyn King, Junior, Daykin, Nebraska, B.S. Science Education (Secondary) Agricultural Education, LTD 

Brianna Pike, Senior, Vassar, Michigan, B.S. Education (Middle), LTD, DCE 

Megan Tiedje, Junior, Milford, Michigan, B.A. DCE and Theology, Adult Ministry Minor  

Danielle Turner, Sophomore, Derby, Kansas, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD, B.A. DCE 

Samantha Vogel, Freshman, Cleveland, Ohio, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Alto I 

Amy Crow, Junior, Wichita, Kansas, B.S. Education (Elementary) Early Childhood, ESL 

Sophia Donovan, Sophomore, Lincoln, Nebraska, B.A. DCE and Theology 

Averil Finnern, Freshman, Sartell, Minnesota, B.A. Communications and Spanish, Marketing Minor 

Miriam Ganoung, Senior, Halsey, Nebraska, B.A. Environmental Science, Music Minor 

Reagan Martens, Junior, Kansas City, Missouri, B.S. Education (Elementary), LTD 

Evelyn Rouland, Freshman, St. Charles, Missouri, B.S. Education (Secondary), English, LTD 

Alina Sankey, Junior, Hayes Center, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD, Early Childhood 

Johanna Speckhard, Freshman, Munster, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD 

Naomi Weber, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Alto II 

Bailey Bianco, Junior, Loveland, Colorado, B.Mus. Psychology 

Brooke Carter, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD 

Emily Castens, Sophomore, New Haven, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Grace Donnelly, Senior, Three Forks, Montana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Aria Ferguson, Freshman, Raymond, Nebraska, B.S. Biology (Pre-Radiology Technician) 

Emily Lindau, Freshman, Omaha, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) History, Theology, LTD 

Melissa Oblinger, Sophomore, Tomball, Texas, B.S. Education (Elementary) Music Concentration, LTD 

Madalyn Perkins, Freshman, Springfield, Illinois, B.S. Education (Elementary), DCE, LTD 

Tara Pester, Junior, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Middle Level) LTD 

Morgan Rohde, Junior, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD, Music Concentration 

Rebecca Tredray, Sophomore, Robbinsdale, Minnesota, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Tenor I 

Maximus Fritsche, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.A. Music, Strategic Communications 

Timothy Mars, Senior, Cody, Wyoming, B.Mus. Church Music 

Yaphet Michael, Sophomore, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Wyatt Swanson, Senior, Staplehurst, Nebraska, B.S. Marketing 

Jonathan Thurk, Freshman, Glendale, Arizona, B.A. History, Pre-Seminary 

Aydan Toth, Freshman, Surprise, Arizona, B.S. Biology, Pre-Medical 

Micah Zeckzer, Sophomore, New Haven, Indiana, B.S. Exercise Science 

Tenor II 

Timothy Baker, Junior, Khovd, Mongolia, B.A. Music, Art Minor 

Jason Church, Junior, Auburn, Washington, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts, Music Minor (Pre-Seminary) 

David Eatherton, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Matthew Guilford, Senior, Lincoln, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary), History and Theology, ESL 

Jonathan Jurchen, Sophomore, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) Spanish 

Dylan Parker, Senior, Fairfax, Virginia, B.A. Music 

Jacob Speckhard, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Elementary), Music Minor, LTD 

Tyler Velkly, Junior, Lititz, Pennsylvania, B.Mus. Church Music, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Bass I 

Simeon Armbrecht, Sophomore, Williamsburg, Iowa, B.Mus. Church Music, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts (Pre-Seminary) 

Jonathan Baumann, Junior, Chester, South Dakota, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD 

Matthew Feusse, Senior, Saginaw, Michigan, B.A. Music 

Matthew Frerking, Sophomore, Columbia, Missouri, B.Mus. Church Music, B.Mus. Music Education 

Deagan Jones, Sophomore, Bunker Hill, Illinois, B.Mus. Church Music 

Sam Matthias, Senior, Seward, Nebraska, B.F.A. Graphic Design 

Evan Moloney, Junior, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) History and Theology 

Karsten Quinton, Junior, Pearland, Texas, B.S. Education (K-12) Physical Education and Theology, LTD 

Hunter Remington, Senior, Bristow, Oklahoma, B.A. Music, Pre-Seminary 

Kaleb Virus, Junior, Concordia, Missouri, B.S. Accounting 

Yeabsira Yidnekachew, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education 

Bass II 

Taylor Beal, Junior, Frisco, Texas, B.A. Music, Composition Concentration 

Mark Bultemeier, Sophomore, Texarkana, Texas, B.A. Theology, Pre-Seminary 

Sean Duffy, Junior, Kenesaw, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD 

Lars Gindler, Senior, Collinsville, Illinois, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts, CLTD, Church Music Minor, Pre-Seminary 

Jack Habegger, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD 

Timothy Pester, Freshman, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD 

Grant Rhode, Senior, Reed City, Michigan, B.S. Education (Secondary) Math, LTD 

Joel Smith, Senior, Earlham, Iowa, B.A. Criminal Justice 

Robert Wagner, Junior, Elizabeth, Colorado, B.S. Education (Secondary) Math, LTD 

Cole Yunker, Sophomore, Newburgh, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD, Biblical Languages Minor