The St. Olaf Choir

For over 85 years, The St. Olaf Choir has set the standard for a capella choral music in the United States. The Choir’s mission statement puts it succinctly: “The purpose of the St. Olaf Choir is to provide music of the highest quality which lifts people’s hearts and spirits, incorporating a diversity of cultural voices and sounds into the chorus of Christian faith.” That the choir lives up to its mission is evident in everything from its rigorous rehearsals to its international concertizing. From the annual Christmas Festival, televised from campus, to the international tours, the St. Olaf Choir brings joy to listeners around the world. Still more experience the spirit of its unique sound on compact disk. The Choir’s signature piece, Beautiful Savior, has soothed souls around the globe.

From its inception in 1912, the St. Olaf Choir has been blessed with the highest quality of personal and musical leadership in both its conductors and its managers. The Choir’s first conductor, F. Melius Christiansen, was a Norwegian immigrant who had studied music in Leipzig. He began both the Choir and its tradition of touring, taking the ensemble on an extended singing trip through Wisconsin in its first year. Within a decade, the Choir had sung in New York; ten years later, it performed in Germany. In 1943, the conducting baton passed to F. Melius’ son, Olaf, who drew on the Choir’s familiar repertoire and expanded it to include more contemporary music, including his own compositions and arrangements. Dr. Kenneth Jennings, a St. Olaf graduate and alumnus of the St. Olaf Choir, was named the Choir’s third director in 1968. Under Jennings’ outstanding leadership, the Choir solidified its international reputation with appearances at numerous prestigious events, such as the Strasbourg Music Festival. Since 1990, the choir has been under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong. Like Jennings, Armstrong is alumnus of St. Olaf College and the St. Olaf Choir. Armstrong, who is nationally known as a conductor for all age groups, continues to expand the Choir’s repertoire and its touring horizons. In 1997, he took the Choir “down under” to Australia and New Zealand. Under his leadership, the future of the Choir is certainly secure.