Students Debut Works at Spring 2022 Composers Recital

Concordia University Nebraska held its Spring Composer’s Recital on Tuesday, March 29 at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska.  

Included in the program were premiere performances of pieces written by ten Concordia student composers, comprised of a variety of music written for vocals, piano, winds, and strings.  

“Developing one’s own creativity is an important part in the development of a musician.  By creating works of their own, students discovered a lot about their own musical personality and had the opportunity to experiment with new forms and ideas,” Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, professor of music, said. “The final step in the creative process is hearing these works, which the students have heard in their head for many months, come to life and be performed.” 

The music is listed by program order, with the composer first, followed by the performers:

“Passion” 

Composed and performed by Thomas Schulteis, sophomore, Parker, Colo., organ  

 “A Love Ballad Without a Name” 

Composed by Nathan Pennington, junior, Lincoln, Neb. 

Jonathan Landrey, junior, Seward, Neb., baritone 

Nathan Pennington, piano 

“A Chorale for Friends”  

Composed by Bethany Zeckzer, senior, New Haven, Ind. 

Isaac Weander, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb., alto saxophone 

Nathan Birtell, junior, Holdredge, Neb., tenor saxophone 

Logan Walgate, freshman, St. Charles, Mo., baritone saxophone 

“The Mountains” 

Composed by Nathan Leonard, senior, Wichita, Kan. 

Hannah Eatherton, junior, Sheboygan, Wis., cello 

Nathan Pennington, piano 

“In The Very Midst of Life”  

Composed by Renata Peperkorn, junior, Rocklin, Calif. 

Makenna Clovis, junior, Albuquerque, N.M., soprano 

Olivia Leising, junior, Arapahoe, Neb., soprano 

Jill Bultemeier, senior, Texarkana, Texas, alto 

Katie Benkendorf, junior, Cape Girardeau, Mo., alto 

Isaac Weander, tenor 

Caleb Zeckzer, sophomore, New Haven, Ind., tenor 

Nathan Pennington, bass 

Jonathan Landrey, bass 

Renata Peperkorn, piano 

“Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano” 

Composed by Calvin Rohde, sophomore, Reed City, Mich. 

Caleb Zeckzer, clarinet 

Calvin Rohde, piano 

“The Feast of Immortality” 

Composed by Ethan Gillespie, freshman, Random Lake, Wis.  

Kirsten Horne, freshman, Canton, Kan., soprano 

Brianna Bianco, freshman, Loveland, Colo., alto 

Benjamin Brenckle, sophomore, Kewaksum, Wis., tenor 

Ryan Edinger, freshman, Wentzville, Mo., bass 

Ethan Gillespie, piano 

Rebekah Eatherton, junior, Sheboygan, Wis., flute 

Thomas Schulteis, sophomore, Parker, Colo., conductor 

“Wondrous Love” 

Composed and performed by Ryan Edinger, organ 

“God’s Grandeur” text by Gerard Manley Hopkins 

Composed by Katie Benkendorf 

Renata Peperkorn, soprano 

Olivia Leising, soprano 

Jill Bultemeier, alto 

Katie Benkendorf, alto 

Isaac Weander, tenor 

Caleb Zeckzer, tenor 

Nathan Pennington, bass 

James Gramzow, senior, Royal Oak, Mich., bass 

“Into the Stratosphere” 

Composed by Kendra Johnson, freshman, Council Bluffs, Iowa 

Bella Schmid, freshman, Rockford, Ill., clarinet 

Caleb Zeckzer, clarinet 

Kendra Johnson, clarinet 

Katheryn Rice, freshman, Bellevue, Neb., clarinet