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Broadcast of Ferguson's 'Songs for the Journey' will inspire reflection nationwide this Thanksgiving

Nancy J. Ashmore
November 21, 2002

"All God's children have a place in the choir," says John Ferguson. He knows a lot about choirs. He directs the church music-organ program at St. Olaf College and is one of the five conductors who lead the ensembles participating in the world-renowned St. Olaf Christmas Festival. In September he directed a massed choir of more than 500 singers in Ohio. That performance has become an inspiring radio broadcast that will be heard nationwide this Thanksgiving.

In addition to his work at St. Olaf, Ferguson leads hymn festivals around the country in local congregations and at national gatherings of organists, choral conductors and church musicians. Earlier this year, Oberlin College, his alma mater, invited him to contribute to its celebration of a new $1 million Fisk organ in its chapel by designing and leading a late afternoon of song that utilized the organ in its special role as song leader.

The result was a standing-room-only event involving the Oberlin College Choir, the Oberlin Musical Union and choirs from 50 Ohio churches and nine denominations. It also became "Songs for the Journey: A Festival of Hymns," a radio program that will air on Classical 89.3 on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 9 p.m. The program was produced by WCLV, a respected, commercial classical radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, which syndicated it nationally.

"I do many such events every year," says Ferguson, "but this is one of the few that involved so many church choirs. It is the only one I've ever done to be turned into a radio program." The program includes familiar and less-familiar hymns appropriate for upcoming holidays, including Thanksgiving.

Ferguson is the Elliot and Klara Stockdal Johnson Professor of Organ and Church Music and minister of music to the student congregation at St. Olaf. Beginning in December, he will also contribute to the content of "Sing for Joy," a 30-minute program produced by Classical 89.3 and distributed nationwide. He will select the music for the program of scripturally-based music and commentary tied to the Common Lectionary, and College Pastor W. Bruce Benson will serve as writer and host.

Contact Nancy J. Ashmore at 507-786-3315 or ashmore@stolaf.edu.