Luther College Nordic Choir new album: Go, Lovely Rose

Sept. 30, 2013       
Contact:  Eric Ellingsen, Coordinator for Music Organizations and Marketing
Phone:  563-387-1267
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Luther College Nordic Choir to release new album, “Go, Lovely Rose”

DECORAH, Iowa – Luther College Nordic Choir, one of the top college choirs in the nation, is set to release its newest album, “Go, Lovely Rose,” available for sale Friday, Oct. 4.

“Go, Lovely Rose,” features musical selections that were performed during choir’s 2012-13 academic year touring schedule. The title track is an arrangement by acclaimed choral composer Eric Whitacre. Other featured pieces include “The Lord is the Everlasting God” by Kenneth Jennings; the new piece, “A Spotless Rose” by British composer Paul Mealor; “Praise to the Lord” arranged by F. Melius Christiansen; and the Nordic Choir traditional closing piece, “O Lord God” by Pavel Chesnokov.

“Go, Lovely Rose” is the third album for the Nordic Choir under the direction of Allen Hightower. All recordings by Nordic Choir and other Luther music ensembles may be purchased online at www.lutherbookshop.com or over the phone by calling 1-888-521-5039. Recordings will also be sold during the annual Homecoming Concert at Luther on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1:30 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life.

Nordic Choir, founded in 1946, enjoys national and international acclaim as a premier collegiate choral ensemble in the United States. Allen Hightower, director of choral activities and professor of music at Luther, is the conductor of the Nordic Choir, preceded by Craig Arnold and the 57-year tenure of Weston Noble. Hightower was recently awarded the honor of the Weston Noble Chair in Music.

Luther is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world with six choirs, three bands, three orchestras, two jazz bands and numerous chamber ensembles, totaling nearly 1,000 student musicians. Luther’s students perform in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. More than 300 music majors study music theory/ear training, history, education, composition, church music and performance.