University A Cappella Choir tours from Nebraska to Pacific Northwest

Concordia University, Nebraska’s University A Cappella Choir will travel to Colorado, Idaho, South Dakota, Oregon and Montana from March 2-13, 2016, for its annual concert tour. Two local performances will conclude the choir’s spring performance season on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church (Newman Center) in Lincoln, Nebraska, at 2 p.m. and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska, at 7 p.m.

“The A Cappella Choir strives to perform music at a very high artistic level—music that inspires, instructs and entertains the listener. But the mission of the choir goes beyond mere artistry,”saidDr. Kurt von Kampen, the choir’s conductor and chair of Concordia’s music department. “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 internationally acclaimed choir will perform concerts at churches, performance halls and schools in 10 cities on its 12-day tour. Cities on the tour include Columbus, Ogallala and Seward, Nebraska; Rapid City, South Dakota; Billings, Montana; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Eugene, Oregon; Meridian, Idaho; and Parker and Fort Collins, Colorado.

The choir performs full-length concerts, high school assemblies and church worship services.  The repertoire of sacred and secular choral compositions spans all historical periods and is representative of many cultures. This year’s concert features the works of Antonio Vivaldi, William Byrd, Max Janowski, Eric Esenvalds, Josu Elberdin, Ivo Antognini, Jeffrey N. Blersch, David von Kampen and others.

The A Cappella Choir, which comprises both male and female musicians chosen by audition each year, has toured the U.S. annually and internationally approximately every four years since its inception in 1939, performing throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and Mexico. 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 Itinerary

2016 University A Cappella Choir

Concordia University, Nebraska

Wednesday, March 2

7 p.m. concert

Immanuel Lutheran Church

1470 24th Avenue

Columbus, Nebraska 68601

Thursday, March 3

7 p.m. concert

Zion Lutheran Church

4550 S. Hwy 16

Rapid City, South Dakota  57701

Friday, March 4

7 p.m. concert

Trinity Lutheran Church

537 Grand Avenue

Billings, Montana 59101

Saturday, March 5

7:30 p.m. concert

Christ the King Lutheran Church

1700 Pennsylvania Avenue

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814

Sunday, March 6

8:30 a.m. worship service

Christ the King Lutheran Church

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Monday, March 7

2:30 p.m. assembly

LIFE! Lutheran School

710 E. 17th Avenue

Eugene, Oregon 97401

Monday, March 7

7 p.m. concert

Grace Lutheran Church

710 E. 17th Avenue

Eugene, Oregon 97401

Tuesday, March 8

8 p.m. concert

Friendship Celebration Lutheran Church

765 E. Chinden Blvd.

Meridian, Idaho 84646

Thursday, March 10

8 p.m. concert

Our Father Lutheran Church

6335 S. Holly St.

Centennial, Colorado 80121

Friday, March 11

9 a.m. assembly

Lutheran High School

11249 Newlin Gulch Blvd.

Parker, Colorado 80134

Friday, March 11

7 p.m. concert

Redeemer Lutheran Church

7755 Greenstone Trail

Fort Collins, Colorado 80525

Saturday, March 12

7 p.m. concert

Ogallala High School Performing Arts Center

602 E. G Street

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153

Sunday, March 13

9 a.m. worship

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

312 W. 3rd Street

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153

Sunday, March 13

10:30 a.m. worship

St. John’s Lutheran Church

466 E. G Street

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153

Sunday, March 20

2 p.m. concert

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church

(Newman Center)

320 N. 16th St.

Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

Sunday, March 20

7 p.m. concert

St. John Lutheran Church

919 N. Columbia Ave.

Seward, Nebraska 68434

Performers include (in alphabetical order by state, city and last name):

• Cameron Christiansen, junior, Palmer, Alaska, Bass II
• Joe Pierson, junior, Van Buren, Ariz., Bass I
• Jacob Fink, sophomore, Long Beach, Calif., Bass I
• Lindsay Sampson, junior, Tustin, Calif., Alto I
• Abby Schellpfeffer, sophomore, Centennial, Colo., Alto II
• Benjamin Leeper, sophomore, Falcon, Colo., Bass I
• Meredith Locke, sophomore, Winter Haven, Fla., Soprano I
• Hafeez Oladipo, freshman, Chicago, Ill., Bass II
• Jacob Henson, sophomore, Herrin, Ill., Bass I
• Matthew Kortze, sophomore, Rockford, Ill., Bass II
• Sarah Krause, junior, Rockford, Ill., Soprano I
• Alyssa Newton, PB, Rockford, Ill., Alto II
• Sarah Mueller, freshman, Wheaton, Ill., Soprano II
• Jennifer Reynolds, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind., Alto I
• Matthew Gerhold, freshman, Atkins, Iowa, Tenor I
• Emily Jensen, junior, Sioux City, Iowa, Soprano II
• Luke Kaldahl, senior, Spencer, Iowa, Tenor II
• Isaiah Armbrecht, freshman, Williamsburg, Iowa, Bass I
• Nathanael Patron, freshman, North Newton, Kan., Tenor I
• Christian Schultz, senior, Wamego, Kan., Bass II
• Helena Dieckhoff, senior, Wichita, Kan., Soprano II
• Austin Theriot, sophomore, Lake Charles, La., Bass II
• Charlotte Mueller, junior, Frankenmuth, Mich., Alto II
• Emily Sievert, sophomore, Frankenmuth, Mich., Soprano I
• Hannah Davis, freshman, Coon Rapids, Minn., Soprano II
• Albert Boldt, freshman, Hewitt, Minn., Tenor I
• Rebecca Trautman, senior, Moorhead, Minn., Alto II
• Micah Holten, sophomore, Nicollet, Minn., Tenor II
• Mason Koeritz, junior, Northrop, Minn., Bass I
• Cadence Klemp, sophomore, Winona, Minn., Soprano II
• Benjamin Hayter, junior, Concordia, Mo., Tenor II
• Emily Kollbaum, junior, Concordia, Mo., Soprano II
• Vanessa Marsh, freshman, Concordia, Mo., Soprano I
• Timothy Mehl, sophomore, Concordia, Mo., Bass II
• Caleb Worral, sophomore, Fargo, N.D., Bass II
• Talitha Elbert, senior, Albuquerque, N.M., Soprano II
• Ann Spilker, sophomore, Ashland, Neb., Alto I
• Mallory Parrish, sophomore, Auburn, Neb., Soprano II
• Megan Sparling, senior, Columbus, Neb., Soprano II
• Paige Stadler, freshman, Columbus, Neb., Soprano II
• Jacob Tuma, senior, Cordova, Neb., Tenor II
• Naomi Ristvedt, senior, Crete, Neb., Alto I
• Nathan Klaumann, freshman, Fairbury, Neb., Tenor II
• Lauren Staehr, senior, Grand Island, Neb., Alto II
• Jonathan Rippe, freshman, Gretna, Neb., Tenor II
• Audrey Rich, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., Alto II
• Clara Rich, senior, Lincoln, Neb., Alto I
• Erika Troester, senior, Lincoln, Neb., Alto I
• Stephanie Coley, senior, Mitchell, Neb., Alto I
• Micah Most, freshman, Ogallala, Neb., Tenor II
• Tyler Miles, junior, Omaha, Neb., Bass II
• Stephanie Van Blair, senior, Omaha, Neb., Alto II
• Jazmyn Yates, freshman, Omaha, Neb., Soprano II
• Laura Hedstrom, junior, Oxford, Neb., Alto I
• Beth Williams, senior, Pierce, Neb., Alto II
• Joshua Brumm, freshman, Seward, Neb., Bass I
• Adam Meirose, senior, Seward, Neb., Bass I
• Kayleah Moravec, freshman, Seward, Neb., Soprano I
• Karl Rovey, senior, Seward, Neb., Bass II
• Elisha Scheiber, sophomore, Seward, Neb., Alto I
• Andrea von Kampen, senior, Seward, Neb., Soprano I
• Lauren Wilcox, sophomore, Seward, Neb., Soprano II
• Eric Souer, junior, Venetia, Pa., Tenor I
• Grace Woelmer, sophomore, Allen, Texas, Alto II
• Timothy Rasch, freshman, Denton, Texas, Bass II
• Emma Gremmer, freshman, New Braunfels, Texas, Alto II
• Aaron Strackbein, junior, San Antonio, Texas, Bass II
• Victoria Welter, junior, Slinger, Wis., Soprano I