Press Release

For more information, Call: (972) 867-5588 or E-mail Bkolodziej@lol-plano.org

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
This Press Release is available online at:
www.lol-plano.org/Concerti/prchorus.html

Benjamin Kolodziej, Director of Music Lord of Life Lutheran Church 3601 W. 15th Street Plano, TX 75075-7741

28 February, 2006

CHRISTUS CHORUS TO PRESENT A CONCERT FOR HOLY WEEK

The Fine Arts/Concert Series of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, has announced the upcoming performance of the Concordia University Christus Chorus from St. Paul, Minnesota. The choir concert, “Peace be to you,” presents a message of God’s peace in the past and for the world today. This concert, specially designed for Holy Week, is open to the public and will be presented on Palm Sunday, 9 April at 7pm. The concert is free and all are cordially invited to attend. The concert will feature music in a wide variety of styles from classical to gospel and contemporary. There is no admission charge to the 90-minute concert.

The St. Paul-based choir is active in performances on- and off-campus. Since 1991, the Christus Chorus has been selected to sing for eight state, regional and national professional music gatherings. They have been featured on professional promotional recordings released nationally by Concordia Publishing House and Morningstar Music. The Concordia choirs have been invited to perform with the Minnesota Orchestra five times since 1997, including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in December, 1998 and Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder in both 1997 and 2001. In May 2000, the Christus Chorus performed at the 10^th International Sacred Music Festival in Cjestojova, Poland, by the invitation of the Polish government’s cultural ministry. The choir was the featured chorus for the Pentecost Vespers service at the St. Thomas Kirche in Leipzig, Germany, the historic church where J.S. Bach served as cantor from 1723-1750.

The Christus Chorus is under the direction of Dr. David L. Mennicke. He graduated summa cum laude from St. Olaf College and earned the master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees from the University of Arizona. In 1992, he was named the “Outstanding Young Choral Director of the Year” by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota. He is in demand as a choral clinican, adjudicator and guest conductor. A professional singer, Mennicke is a solo choir member of the Grammy Award-winning chorus of the Oregon Bach Festival and a section leader in the Minnesota Chorale.

Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Plano is located at 3601 W. 15th Street (near the Medical Center, one block east of Coit Road). For more information about this free event please contact Benjamin Kolodziej, Director of Music (bkolodziej@lol-plano.org or 972.867.5588, ext 13.)