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St. Olaf College student ensemble The Limestones earns national honors with album, 'Set in Stone'

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June 11, 2001

NORTHFIELD, Minn. ? The Limestones, a contemporary vocal ensemble composed of St. Olaf College students, has earned national honors for a new recording of a cappella songs.

The Limestones? new album, "Set In Stone," has received prominent attention in the record catalogs Primarily a Cappella and Mainly a Cappella, and has been nominated for the "Best of Collegiate a Cappella" award by the Contemporary a Cappella Society of America.

"Set In Stone," with seven original arrangements and three original compositions, exemplifies the Limestones? writing and arranging talents.

Mike Espinoza, a recent St. Olaf College graduate and Limestones? member, recently was named runnerup as "Best Male Collegiate Soloist" in the 2001 Contemporary a Cappella Recording Awards for his solo performance on the "Set In Stone" album.

"Espinoza can do it all ? pop, soul and traditional songs," the Contemporary a Cappella Society of America said. "His standout performance of Seal?s ?Kiss From a Rose? is done with a lilting tenor, emphasizing the struggle between love and loss."

The Limestones have delighted audiences from the Midwest to Colorado with their unique style and engaging stage performances. The group is inspired by an acute vision, strong St. Olaf College a cappella roots and a deep passion to harmonize at a high level of artistic excellence.

The Limestones have performed as an independent St. Olaf College student ensemble since 1989. They were founded by a group of friends who wanted to enjoy harmonizing and making music together. As the ensemble evolved, its members moved outside the mold of the traditional collegiate a cappella sound with a diverse repertoire that includes contemporary pop, rock, R&B and jazz.

Collegiate a cappella music has been performed in the United States for nearly 100 years ? a style that was popularized in the early 20th Century by St. Olaf College Music Department founder F. Melius Christiansen.

St. Olaf College prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world, fostering development of mind, body and spirit. A four-year, coeducational liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), St. Olaf has a student enrollment of 2,950 and a full-time faculty complement of approximately 300. It is one of Money Guide?s top 100 "elite values in college education today," and it leads the nation?s colleges in percentage of students who study abroad.

Contact Michael Cooper at 507-786-3315 or cooperm@stolaf.edu.