University A Cappella Choir plans 2022 Spring Choral Tour

The internationally acclaimed University A Cappella Choir from Concordia University, Nebraska, will travel to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas for its annual spring tour March 4-13.   

Sites for the choir’s performances include St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Concordia, Missouri; Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wichita, Kansas; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Edmond, Oklahoma; Zion Lutheran Church, Dallas, Texas; Trinity Klein Lutheran Church, Spring, Texas; Concordia Lutheran High School, Tomball, Texas; Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Houston Texas; St. Paul Lutheran Church Austin, Texas; St. John Lutheran Church, Mansfield, Texas; Faith Lutheran Church, Plano, Texas; and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The choir will conclude the tour with a 7 p.m. home concert at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward on March 20.  

“The A Cappella Choir strives to perform music at a high artistic level—music which inspires, instructs and entertains,” said Dr. Kurt E. von Kampen, conductor. “But the mission of the choir goes beyond mere artistry. The University A Cappella Choir exists to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in song and to honor God with the musical talents the students have been given.” 

The choir performs full-length concerts, school assemblies, and participates in Sunday worship services. The repertoire of sacred and secular choral compositions is diverse in style, historical period and culture. This year’s concert features choral music by J.S Bach, William Harris, John Ness Beck, Ola Gjeilo, Henry Huss, Eaton Faning, David von Kampen, Jeffrey Blersch and others. The choir will be performing Bach’s Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden BWV230. In addition, Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo, professor of music, will perform Jean Sibelius’ “Be Still My Soul” on piano.  

The A Cappella Choir has toured the U.S. each year, and internationally approximately every four years since its inception in 1939, performing throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Asia, Mexico and most recently South Africa. It also has participated in international choral festivals in Australia and Austria, placing first and third respectively while under the direction of von Kampen. 

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. 

Admission to concerts is free. Free-will offerings will be taken at evening concerts to help defray tour expenses.   

 

Tour Schedule

Friday, March 4 

7 p.m. Concert at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 

401 S. Main St.  

Concordia, Mo. 64020 

 

Saturday, March 5 

7:30 p.m. Concert at Holy Cross Lutheran Church 

600 N. Greenwich Rd. 

Wichita, Kan. 67206 

 

Sunday, March 6 

8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Worship at Holy Cross Lutheran Church 

600 N. Greenwich Rd. 

Wichita, Kan. 67206 

7 p.m. Concert at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 

308 NW 164th St. 

Edmond, Okla. 73013 

 

Monday, March 7 

7 p.m. Concert at Zion Lutheran Church 

6121 E. Lovers Ln. 

Dallas, Texas 75214 

 

Tuesday, March 8 

10 a.m. Morning assembly at Lutheran High School 

8494 Stults Rd. 

Dallas, Texas 75243 

7 p.m. Concert at Trinity Klein Lutheran Church 

5201 Spring Cypress Rd. 

Spring, Texas 77379 

 

Wednesday, March 9 

9:30 a.m. Morning assembly/chapel at Concordia Lutheran High School Tomball 

700 E. Main St. 

Tomball, Texas 77375 

7 p.m. Concert at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 

18220 Upper Bay Rd. 

Houston, Texas 77058 

 

Friday, March 11 

7 p.m. Concert at St. Paul Lutheran Church 

3501 Red River St. 

Austin, Texas 78705 

 

Saturday, March 12 

7 p.m. Concert at St. John Lutheran Church 

1218 E. Debbie Ln. 

Mansfield, Texas 76063 

 

Sunday, March 13 

9:30 a.m. Mini performance at Faith Lutheran Church 

1701 E Park Blvd.

Plano, Texas 75074 

7 p.m. Concert at Immanuel Lutheran Church 

400 N. Aspen Ave. 

Broken Arrow, Okla. 74012 

 

Sunday, March 20 

7 p.m. Concert at St. John Lutheran Church 

919 N. Columbia Ave. 

Seward, Neb. 68434 

 

Members of the University A Cappella Choir (listed in program order) include:  

Soprano I 

Rachel Fisher, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb. 

Rebekah Guilford, senior, Lincoln, Neb. 

Jennifer Horne, junior, Canton, Kan. 

Kirsten Horne, freshman, Canton, Kan. 

Jessica Landrey, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

McKenna McSpadden, sophomore, Parker, Colo. 

Renata Peperkorn, junior, Rocklin, Calif.  

 

Soprano II 

Morgan Bowman, junior, South Sioux City, Neb. 

Makenna Clovis, junior, Albuquerque, N.M. 

Hannah Cmeyla, junior, Bay City, Mich. 

Hannah Eatherton, junior, Sheboygan, Wis. 

Rebekah Eatherton, junior, Sheboygan, Wis. 

Olivia Leising, junior, Arapahoe, Neb. 

Mary Pennekamp, sophomore, Fort Wayne, Ind.  

 

Alto I 

Lydia Armbrecht, freshman, Williamsburg, Iowa 

Katie Benkendorf, junior, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 

Grace Donovan, freshman, Lincoln, Neb. 

Sadie Henson, freshman, Herrin, Ill. 

Abigail Joers, junior, Lee’s Summit, Mo. 

Abigail Meier, senior, Lawrence, Kan. 

Gillian Mettenbrink, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

Jacee Pfeifer, senior, Holdrege, Neb. 

Anna Royuk, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

 

Alto II 

Brianna Bianco, freshman, Loveland, Colo. 

Abigail Bimler, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

Jill Bultemeier, senior, Texarkana, Texas 

Kathryn Castens, junior, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Annah Heck, junior, Coon Rapids, Iowa 

Gabrielle Krutsinger, sophomore, Imperial, Neb.    

Cecilia Minchow, senior, Lincoln, Neb. 

Grace Pennekamp, sophomore, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Tabitha Ristvedt, senior, Milford, Neb. 

Alannah Stahl, sophomore, Saginaw, Mich. 

Abigail Van Velson, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

Bethany Zeckzer, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

 

Tenor I 

Benjamin Brenckle, sophomore, Kewaskum, Wis. 

Joshua Marlatt, senior, Minnetrista, Minn. 

Timothy Mars, freshman, Kimball, Neb. 

Christoph Marsh, junior, Concordia, Mo. 

Micah Schultz, junior, Scotia, N.Y. 

Logan Walgate, freshman, St. Charles, Mo. 

Caleb Zeckzer, sophomore, New Haven, Ind. 

 

Tenor II 

Samuel Dunbar, freshman, Utica, Neb. 

John Merritt, freshman, Plano, Texas 

Jackson Munter, freshman, Ithaca, Neb. 

Neal Patron, junior, North Newton, Kan. 

Thomas Schulteis, sophomore, Parker, Colo. 

Isaac Weander, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb. 

 

Bass I 

Cody Bender, junior, Tecumseh, Neb. 

Ethan Gillespie, freshman, Random Lake, Wis. 

James Gramzow, senior, Royal Oak, Mich. 

Ethan Ideus, sophomore, Seward, Neb. 

Nathan Johnson, senior, Vicksburg, Mich. 

Nathan Kieser, junior, Plano, Texas 

Daniel Oberdieck, sophomore, Lanesville, Ind. 

Calvin Rohde, sophomore, Reed City, Mich. 

Matthew Wahlers, senior, Napa, Calif. 

 

Bass II 

Aaron Christiansen, senior, Palmer, Alaska 

Ryan Edinger, freshman, Wentzville, Mo. 

Max Johnston, senior, White Bear Lake, Minn. 

Jayson Klaumann, junior, Fairbury, Neb. 

Jonathan Landrey, junior, Seward, Neb. 

Nathan Leonard, senior, Topeka, Kan. 

Nathaniel Mueller, sophomore, Austin, Texas 

Nathan Pennington, junior, Lincoln, Neb. 

Cory Ruybalid, sophomore, West Point, Neb. 

Braedon Thompson, junior, Hills, Minn.