Peter Hendrickson, director of choral activities at Augsburg College, began the Masterworks Chorale mainly to perform orchestral music, which is very different from the repertoire of the other Augsburg choirs. The chorale consists of faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and current students. Many members are professional musicians, directors of church choirs, and teachers. “It is a great representation of people from Augsburg and their relationship with the community,” Hendrickson said.

Staff member Betsey Norgard from the office of Marketing and Communication, education professor Vicki Olson, and business professor Milo Schield currently sing in the Chorale. Norgard, who has sung with the group for 5 years, says singing with the choir gives her another opportunity to be involved with the Augsburg community. “Singing in Masterworks is such an energizing other dimension to my daily work. Just when I begin to think that choir is one too many things in my schedule, I go to rehearsal and realize how much I really need the music. It’s truly a privilege to sing every week with great singers and the most gifted director I’ve known,” she said.

Hendrickson said the Chorale has been a stable component of his professional life at Augsburg. “I can count on it. It’s a group that gets Augsburg’s name out into the community to let people know more about the good program we have here.”

Khvoshchinsky’s composition features five movements in five different languages–Hebrew, Russian, English, Latin, and Greek–focusing on the phrase Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy). The piece is written for chorus, orchestra, and soprano solo, which will be performed by Lori Lewis.

Khvoshchinsky is a native of Minsk, Belarus and has lived in the Twin Cities for nine years. He left Belarus for economic reasons, and Hendrickson said just this year Khvoshchinsky’s wife and two children finally were able to emigrate here as well. Said Hendrickson, “He is an extremely passionate, deep soul with an intensity in both his personhood and his musical compositions. When I first met him, I was struck by his passion so deeply that I felt as if I had found my ‘Russian brother.'”

Minnesota Public Radio broadcast an interview with the composer and Hendrickson on Nov. 7. Read .

Article by Erin Gottfried

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The Chorale, soloists and orchestra will perform “Requiem” by Maurice Duruflé, with shorter works by Thomas Tallis, John Tavener, Randall Thompson, and Egil Hovland.

The Masterworks Chorale is a unique mix of auditioned Augsburg College day students, Weekend College students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community friends. An established dynamic choral ensemble in the Twin Cities, which is built on Augsburg College’s strong choral tradition, the Masterworks Chorale is dedicated to performing great choral masterworks as well as exploring new ones.

Suggested donation: $15. Augsburg students: free admission with ID.

Annunciation Catholic Church is located at 509 West 54th Street, Minneapolis, MN.

For more information call the Augsburg Music Department, 612-330-1265.

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