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Home Arts & Culture 125 Years of Concordia Celebrated at the LIED

Concordia’s A Capella choir, Male Chorus, and Cantamus Women’s Choir perform together at the LIED Center with the University Symphonic Band in celebration of the university’s 125th year. Photo courtesy of Tom and Kristi German.

By Daniel Heitshusen

Concordia celebrated its 125th birthday by having several of the college’s top musical groups perform at the LIED Center for Performing Arts.

Concordia faculty, students and alumni alike all attended the concert on March 23. The concert was made up of 5 different ensembles representing the school as a whole.

Dr. Andrew Schultz, assistant professor of music, conducted the Jazz Ensemble and the Concordia University Symphonic Band,  Paul Soulek conducted Male Chorus, Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, professor of music, conducted Cantamus Women’s Choir, Dr. Kurt von Kampen, professor of music, conducted the University A Cappella Choir. All accompaniment was performed by Austin Theriot.

“The students really stepped up, and I told them to bring their ‘A game’, and they did,” Blersch said.

The concert included three speeches by Concordia’s President and Chief Executive Officer Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich. The speeches focused on appreciating the past of Concordia, being thankful for the present, and looking forward to the future in faith.

Additionally, a 125th anniversary hymn, written by Lisa M. Clark and composed by von Kampen, was sung at the celebration concert, with the audience joining the choir in singing.

“It’s always fun to prepare for an event that you have a pretty good idea is going to be a big success, and I’m proud of the way Concordia stepped up in total to put this together, with administration, the advancement team, alumni, and everybody,” von Kampen said. “They really did a fantastic job.”

Senior Jallah Bolay was in attendance at the concert celebration.

“I just think it was really great, and it was just so magnificent to see this beautiful journey that we’ve come so far as an institution,” Bolay said.

The event ended with the alma mater, “The Concordia Tower Song,” written by W. E. Mueller and composed by Theodore Beck, and “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” (setting by Blersch) being sung by the choirs and audience.

The Celebration at the LIED was sponsored by Jones Bank in Seward, Nebraska.

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