U of NM Choral program scores new score

By Alexandra Swanberg

UNM’s choral program commissioned a piece on death to celebrate
its 100 years of life.

About a year ago, UNM Choral Activities Director Brad Ellingboe
approached world-renowned composer Rene Clausen to request a piece
to celebrate the program’s centennial. It just so happened that, at
the time, Clausen was thinking about doing a Requiem.

“The choir that he works with at Concordia College is basically
the best on the planet,” Ellingboe said. “But also he writes a lot
of music. So when we’re having this 100th anniversary, it was just
a plum for us.”

The University Chorus, the Concert Choir and UNM Orchestra are
collaborating to execute the world debut of Clausen’s Requiem,
which departs from a 20th-century modern style and encompasses
fuller, more traditional 21st-century harmony, Ellingboe said.

Already, Clausen’s piece is scheduled to be performed the next
concert season at Lincoln Center in New York City and the Kennedy
Center in Washington, D.C.