Posted on Friday, January 05, 2024
Delighting audiences with their inspiring voices in renowned venues across the globe, the St. Olaf Choir will take the stage at Callaway Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Georgia will be one of four states the group will visit on their 2024 National Tour.
Based out of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, the 75-member mixed choir has been singing to millions around the world for over a century, sharing the finest sacred choral repertoire, inspiring people of all faiths, garnering immense critical acclaim, and setting new standards for choral excellence.
The group has attracted capacity audiences at prestigious concert sites including Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall and the Kennedy Center. In 2005, the St. Olaf Choir was invited to perform at the White House on May 5 for President George W. Bush, first lady Laura Bush and guests to commemorate The National Day of Prayer.
In the program, guests can expect to hear performances of sacred and secular choral standards, traditional hymns, new compositions, spirituals and more. The musical works will come from living and traditional composers and arrangers, including Jose Mauricio Nunes-Garcia, Jocelyn Hagen, Andre J. Thomas, Moses G. Hogan Jr., St. Olaf College Professor of Music Justin Merrit, St. Olaf Choir founder F. Melius Christiansen and more.
“When they opened their mouths to sing, an even wall of sound emerged: words clear, notes true,” said a critic from The New York Times. “But more than that, the notes were felt …. (The St. Olaf Choir is) good because of its remarkable balance and mellow tone. It’s good because of its dynamic shadings: its ability to sustain, then build from, nearly inaudible pianos, or to distinguish between a forte and a fortissimo.”
Led by conductor Anton Armstrong since 1990, the ensemble continues to develop the tradition that originated with its founder F. Melius Christiansen, who chose spiritually profound music and pushed student musicians to perfect a tone that was disciplined, controlled and free of excessive vibrato. That sound — securely in tune, controlled in pitch, smooth in delivery — became the choir’s hallmark.
The group transcended America’s limited early 20th century choral tradition with the introduction of a cappella singing of the highest level, creating a new model for the widespread choral growth that followed.
“The St. Olaf Choir…is…a much more select and precious group of choristers that can sing a gorgeous and absolutely focused unison that is alive and that has substance, shape and energy,” said a critic from The Washington Post. “It was a tour de force, carried out with a poise and power that brought the audience to its feet.”
Tickets are available online or by phone at 800-363-5487. The cost will be $30 adults/seniors, $10 for students, and $5 for LaGrange College students. A discount of 10% is available for groups of 10 or more people via phone.
Registration is open for “A Tailor Made Journey from Lisbon to Porto,” a 3D Journeys excursion in Portugal. Hosted by President Susanna Baxter and First Gentleman Mark Huffman, the trip will be March 18-29, 2024. For more information on details and rates, email 3DJourneys@91src.com.
LaGrange College's 3D Journeys Lecture and Travel series returns in 2024 — and the speakers have been confirmed:
January 22-Dr. Joe Cafaro- “Portugal and the Age of Discovery”
February 26-Dr. John Cook- “The Religions of Portugal”
March 11-Dr. Linda McMullen- “From Airbnb to Unbabel: International Business in Portugal Viewed Through a Cultural Lens”
For more information about the 2024 3D Lecture and Travel series, call (706) 880-8244 or email 3DJourneys@91src.com.
Athletics
In December, LaGrange College had 10 student-athletes and two teams named as recipients of the Collegiate Conference of the South Sportsmanship awards for the spring and fall 2023 seasons. The CCS recognizes athletes and teams who consistently demonstrate the utmost standards of sportsmanship during both the regular season and conference championships.
The following LC student-athletes were honored:
Journey Oden ’24 (Women's Tennis)
Kyle Moore ’26 (Men's Tennis)
Martin Prlender ’26 (Men's Golf)
Jaiden Gay ’26 (Softball)
Christian Dyer ’24 (Baseball)
Pamela Rabun ’24 (Women's Cross Country)
Eddie Montgomery ’24 (Men's Cross Country)
Nicholas Griner ’27 (Men's Soccer)
Briana Suarez ’25 (Women's Soccer)
Meredith Orton ’26 (Volleyball)
The 2023 Baseball and Women’s Tennis teams were also honored.
Men’s Basketball
The Panthers started their conference schedule with an 83-76 win over Belhaven on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The team will have two road games against Piedmont and Covenant on Friday, Jan. 5 (today) and Saturday, Jan. 6, respectively.
In the final two weeks of 2023, LC competed in the Rhodes Classic Dec. 16-17 and the Guilford Classic Dec. 29-30. LaGrange fell to Rhodes 75-69 and Sewanee 97-78 in the Rhodes Classic. The Guilford Classic resulted in a 93-60 loss against William Peace and an 86-85 win against Southern Virginia.
Freshman Kam McCall was named to the Guilford Classic All-Tournament team.
Samuel Moss earned his fourth straight CCS Rookie of the Week award. This season, he averages a team-high 16.2 points per game.
Women’s Basketball
LaGrange began conference play with a 95-74 win against Belhaven on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The team will be on the road to take on Piedmont and Covenant on Friday, Jan. 5 (today) and Saturday, Jan. 6, respectively.
Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jasen Jonus recently earned his 50th career coaching win after beating conference opponent Belhaven 95-74 on Tuesday, Jan. 2. In 3.5 seasons, he has posted a 50-24 win/loss record, which gives him the highest winning percentage as a coach in program history.
Friday, Jan. 5 – Women’s Basketball at Piedmont, 5 p.m., Demorest, Georgia
Friday, Jan. 5 – Men’s Basketball at Piedmont, 7 p.m., Demorest, Georgia
Saturday, Jan. 6 – Women’s Basketball at Covenant, 2 p.m., Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Saturday, Jan. 6 – Men’s Basketball at Covenant, 4 p.m., Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Freshman phenom: Samuel Moss is off to a blazing start with LaGrange College, LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 23
Category: College, Arts and Culture, Community
Keywords: Music, Religion
