Choir to tour

Northwestern College’s A cappella Choir will tour in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin March 2–12, performing in churches and schools in 10 communities. Visit www.nwciowa.edu/choir-tour for concert times and details.

The ensemble’s three-part concert begins with songs that express faith and trust in God in the face of suffering and injustice. It will include Sicut Cervus, by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, which is a Latin translation of Psalm 42: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.”

The first section of the concert will also include F. Melius Christiansen’s Praise to the Lord and settings of two children’s poems written in Terezin prison camp during World War II.

Section two of the concert will feature virtuosic choral works, including an arrangement of the Civil War poem Shiloh, gypsy songs by Brahms, and animal songs by Eric Whitacre, including a thrilling “kill that snake!” song. The choir will also perform music from India, Estonia and Slovakia.

The concert will conclude with a selection of spirituals and the choir’s traditional final song, Beautiful Savior.

The 43-member A cappella Choir is directed by Dr. Thomas Holm, professor of music at Northwestern and conductor of the Sioux County Oratorio Chorus. The ensemble has performed across the U.S. and in Europe.

The choir will perform its home concert in Northwestern’s Christ Chapel on Friday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m.