Have you been looking for a way to diversify your CD collection? Maybe put something on your rack that is a little more refined than Brittany Spears or Busta Rhymes.

Or maybe you are an early Christmas shopper and you are looking for something nice to buy your grandmother. Whatever your reason, it is a good time to take a look at the many recordings the St. Olaf music organizations have put out over the last few years.

By now, almost all of the music groups on campus have a recording or two in their pocket. Some groups are even into the double digits. There is a lot to choose from, so here are a few of your options.

If choral music is your passion, your options are nearly endless. The St. Olaf Choir alone has put out over 15 recordings, the most recent release being Great Hymns of Faith, Volume 1. In this CD, the choir sings some of the favorite hymns of the Lutheran tradition, including songs like "Children of the Heavenly Father" (an arrangement by Dr. Robert Scholz), "Here I am Lord," and of course, "Beautiful Savior" (with a beautiful solo performed by class of 2001's Kelly Becker).

If you are interested in the history of the choir, digitally remastered recordings of F. Melius Christiansen's choir have recently been released on the CD, St. Olaf Choir: Choral Masterworks Series Vol. I. This CD is composed of old performances previously recorded on records and showcase the old style of F. Melius Christiansen. The recording is somewhat scratchy, and is more for people interested in the choirıs history and tradition than your average college-aged listener.

Along with these recordings, there are also CDs that feature Christmas songs, spirituals, and general concert material. In addition to the St. Olaf Choir CDs, other choral groups on campus including Viking Chorus, Manitou Singers, Chapel Choir and St. Olaf Cantorei have also recorded CDs.

If band music is more your style, St. Olaf Records also has released a number of recordings of the St. Olaf Band. Their most recent release is St. Olaf Band: On Tour. This CD is a compilation of two performances: the Winter Tour Home Concert of 1998 and their performance a few days later at the Midwinter In-Service Clinic at the Minnesota Music Educators Association .

Another great recording is St. Olaf Band: Praise The Lord With Drums And Cymbals. This CD is from their 1996 tour of Norway. Also, check for recordings from other St. Olaf wind ensembles and the outstanding campus jazz ensembles.

If you are interested in orchestral music, St. Olaf Recordings offers the St. Olaf Orchestra's most recent release, St. Olaf Orchestra: Ballet. This CD explores wonderful orchestral ballet music and includes works by composers such as Ravel, Stravinsky and Samuel Barber.

The Orchestra also released a CD in 1998 entitled St. Olaf Orchestra: Showcase America, which was recorded in the Slovak Philharmony Hall in Bratislava, Slovakia. Other recordings by the St. Olaf Orchestra, Philharmonia, and smaller orchestral ensembles are also available.

If all of these possibilities interest you but you don't have the money for three CDs, look into one of the combined recordings available. The Christmas Festival recordings feature the five larger choral ensembles and the St. Olaf Orchestra. In addition, a new release, Songs of St. Olaf, is a CD the features all three groups performing the songs that are most often sung on Manitou Heights. This collection includes our famous waltzing fight song, "Um Yah Yah." If you would like more information on this CD or other CDs that are available, check out the St. Olaf Recordings link on the St. Olaf homepage, or directly at www.stolafrecords.com.