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S.D. Chorale debuts with weekend concerts in Sioux Falls, Brandon
By By Jill Meier
Challenger editor
Challenger editor
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EmailDecember 18. 2009 6:00AM
A professional chorus organization will perform two concerts this weekend, as the South Dakota Chorale makes its debut in Sioux Falls and Brandon.
The South Dakota Chorale is a professional chorus organization based in Sioux Falls, and consists of a collaborative network of local, regional and singers from across the United States.
Founded by Brian Schmidt last January, the 21-member group is coming together for the first time this week to rehearse “A Choral Christmas,” which they will perform this Friday and Saturday night.
The Chorale’s intent is to produce inspirational concerts of world-class caliber for audiences in South Dakota, Schmidt said.
“I believe that the South Dakota Chorale can become a crossroads where the great singers in our region can make music and interact with professionals like them from around the country,” he said. “It is a truly collaborative and interactive opportunity for both the local singers and those coming from other areas. Each singer can meet new people, develop their musical skills and share the excitement of making great music with one another.”
Schmidt, a former Sioux Falls resident and director of music for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church from 2005-07, has been researching how to best organize the group for the past three years. In January, he began recruiting singers, both locally and nationwide, through an audition process.
“During the time I lived in Sioux Falls I had a dream to build a professional choir in Sioux Falls,” he said, “so I made a lot of contacts with people who sing to see if now was a good time to do this.”
Singers with the Chorale are not only from Sioux Falls and surrounding South Dakota communities, but hail from states as far away as Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mississippi, and even neighboring Canada, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
An advisory board was organized and First Congregational Church in Sioux Falls is acting as the Chorale’s supporting organization.
The idea, Schmidt said, was not to create a choir to compete with the other Sioux Falls choirs.
“This is a unique that it gives singers a totally different experience than what’s available,” he said.
Jack Mohlenhoff, minister of music at First Congregational and a bass singer with the Chorale, was excited about the opportunity to hone his musical talents with other professionals.
“The opportunity to sing with a group like this is something I don’t have a lot of opportunity to do,” he said. “And the mission of our arts ministry at First Congregational is to help people express themselves, and this is a way to do that.”
The goal, Schmidt said, is to present concerts in and around South Dakota, similar to that of the South Dakota Symphony. He said they plan to present one to two concerts per year.
“This region is really lucky to have a symphony that plays at that level, and we are looking to add to the regional art scene,” Schmidt said.
The Chorale’s inaugural concert, “A Choral Christmas” will be presented in two halves. The first half, Schmidt said, consists of traditional carols and some different styles of Christmas music, including audience sing-a-longs.
“One of the most thrilling things as a performer is to have people singing along,” he said.
The second half of the concert will feature the entire Christmas portion of “Handel’s Messiah.” The group will perform the timeless music with roughly the same number of singers and instruments as when the piece was premiered in 1742.
“ ‘Handel’s Messiah’ is one of the most accessible works in the world, but it’s one of those musical pieces that when you experience it in person, it is reverent and very moving,” he said.
The musicians are rehearsing three days this week to prepare for their inaugural concerts on Friday and Saturday.
Mohlenhoff said he’s excited to meet his Chorale counterparts.
“Just the anticipation of how it’s going to come together is exciting,” he said. “We’re all musicians, but you never know.”
First Congregational was a likely choice for one of the concert locations, but Brandon was selected because of Schmidt’s involvement on a prior project. In 2006, he was commissioned by the parents of that year’s graduating class to write a song for the class and to remember classmate Landon Wulf, who was killed in a 2000 car accident. Schmidt composed the song, “Lead Me On.”
“I had such a uniquely moving experience with the people of Brandon and with that whole commissioned project,” Schmidt said. “I was just touched by people that dearly love music and really appreciate music’s healing qualities and wanted to give something back.”
IF YOU GO
South Dakota Chorale Concert – “A Choral Christmas”
Friday, Dec. 18 – 7:30 p.m. - First Congregational Church, 300 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls
Saturday, Dec. 19 – 7:30 p.m. – Brandon Lutheran Church, 600 E. Holly Blvd., Brandon
Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors
Tickets are available at First Congregational Lutheran Church, Lewis Drug Southgate & Lewis Drug in Brandon.
The South Dakota Chorale is a professional chorus organization based in Sioux Falls, and consists of a collaborative network of local, regional and singers from across the United States.
Founded by Brian Schmidt last January, the 21-member group is coming together for the first time this week to rehearse “A Choral Christmas,” which they will perform this Friday and Saturday night.
The Chorale’s intent is to produce inspirational concerts of world-class caliber for audiences in South Dakota, Schmidt said.
“I believe that the South Dakota Chorale can become a crossroads where the great singers in our region can make music and interact with professionals like them from around the country,” he said. “It is a truly collaborative and interactive opportunity for both the local singers and those coming from other areas. Each singer can meet new people, develop their musical skills and share the excitement of making great music with one another.”
Schmidt, a former Sioux Falls resident and director of music for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church from 2005-07, has been researching how to best organize the group for the past three years. In January, he began recruiting singers, both locally and nationwide, through an audition process.
“During the time I lived in Sioux Falls I had a dream to build a professional choir in Sioux Falls,” he said, “so I made a lot of contacts with people who sing to see if now was a good time to do this.”
Singers with the Chorale are not only from Sioux Falls and surrounding South Dakota communities, but hail from states as far away as Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mississippi, and even neighboring Canada, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
An advisory board was organized and First Congregational Church in Sioux Falls is acting as the Chorale’s supporting organization.
The idea, Schmidt said, was not to create a choir to compete with the other Sioux Falls choirs.
“This is a unique that it gives singers a totally different experience than what’s available,” he said.
Jack Mohlenhoff, minister of music at First Congregational and a bass singer with the Chorale, was excited about the opportunity to hone his musical talents with other professionals.
“The opportunity to sing with a group like this is something I don’t have a lot of opportunity to do,” he said. “And the mission of our arts ministry at First Congregational is to help people express themselves, and this is a way to do that.”
The goal, Schmidt said, is to present concerts in and around South Dakota, similar to that of the South Dakota Symphony. He said they plan to present one to two concerts per year.
“This region is really lucky to have a symphony that plays at that level, and we are looking to add to the regional art scene,” Schmidt said.
The Chorale’s inaugural concert, “A Choral Christmas” will be presented in two halves. The first half, Schmidt said, consists of traditional carols and some different styles of Christmas music, including audience sing-a-longs.
“One of the most thrilling things as a performer is to have people singing along,” he said.
The second half of the concert will feature the entire Christmas portion of “Handel’s Messiah.” The group will perform the timeless music with roughly the same number of singers and instruments as when the piece was premiered in 1742.
“ ‘Handel’s Messiah’ is one of the most accessible works in the world, but it’s one of those musical pieces that when you experience it in person, it is reverent and very moving,” he said.
The musicians are rehearsing three days this week to prepare for their inaugural concerts on Friday and Saturday.
Mohlenhoff said he’s excited to meet his Chorale counterparts.
“Just the anticipation of how it’s going to come together is exciting,” he said. “We’re all musicians, but you never know.”
First Congregational was a likely choice for one of the concert locations, but Brandon was selected because of Schmidt’s involvement on a prior project. In 2006, he was commissioned by the parents of that year’s graduating class to write a song for the class and to remember classmate Landon Wulf, who was killed in a 2000 car accident. Schmidt composed the song, “Lead Me On.”
“I had such a uniquely moving experience with the people of Brandon and with that whole commissioned project,” Schmidt said. “I was just touched by people that dearly love music and really appreciate music’s healing qualities and wanted to give something back.”
IF YOU GO
South Dakota Chorale Concert – “A Choral Christmas”
Friday, Dec. 18 – 7:30 p.m. - First Congregational Church, 300 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls
Saturday, Dec. 19 – 7:30 p.m. – Brandon Lutheran Church, 600 E. Holly Blvd., Brandon
Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors
Tickets are available at First Congregational Lutheran Church, Lewis Drug Southgate & Lewis Drug in Brandon.
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Brian Schmidt is the director and founder of the newly-established South Dakota Chorale. The group of professional singers will make their debut this weekend, when they perform concerts in Sioux Falls and Brandon. Submitted photo |  |
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