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St. Olaf Chapel Choir, Philharmonia to present annual Vespers concert

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September 27, 2001

St. Olaf College?s Chapel Choir and Philharmonia will present their annual Vespers concert, a worship service of evening prayer, at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7 in Boe Memorial Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

The St. Olaf Philharmonia, directed by music faculty member Jo Ann Polley, will perform works by John Ireland, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sir Edward Elgar. The prelude will include "Elegy" by Ireland, "Rhosymedre" by Vaughan Williams, and "Sospiri" by Elgar. The postlude, played by the Philharmonia, will include "First Suite in Eb, Movement 1, Chaconne" by Gustav Holst an arranged by Gordon Jacob. The Chapel Choir and the Philharmonia together will perform "Requiem" by John Rutter.

The St. Olaf Chapel Choir, directed by music faculty member Robert Scholz, provides music for Sunday services and occasional chapel services at St. Olaf. The Choir prepares an oratorio, Passion, mass or other large work for presentation each spring with the St. Olaf Orchestra. The 130-voice choir includes music majors and other students who enjoy singing and participate as part of their liberal arts experience. The Choir?s performance of anthems and other liturgical works in many styles from various historical periods exposes Choir members to a rich musical heritage in the context of the worship service.

"This service by the Chapel Choir and Philharmonia, based on choral and orchestral masterworks of a single composer or period of music, is a tradition of 35 years at St. Olaf College," Scholz said. This year?s music celebrates the works of modern composers and arrangers.

The Philharmonia performs music from all periods, including repertoire for string orchestra, chamber orchestra and symphony orchestra. Founded in 1975 as a string ensemble to supplement the St. Olaf Orchestra, today the Philharmonia is an 80-member, full-size symphony orchestra with winds and percussion. The orchestra consists of St. Olaf College students from all class levels and many majors.

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 of approximately 256. It is one of Money Guide?s top 100 "elite values in college education today," and it leads the nation?s colleges in number of students who study abroad.

Contact Carole Leigh Engblom at 507-786-3315 or leigh@stolaf.edu.