Campus Life | Concordia Courier | Student Newspaper

Jazz Ensembles Fall Concert features dedicated musicians and incredible directors

11/8/2024 - 3 minute read

The Concordia Jazz Ensemble’s Fall Concert is set to hit the stage on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Borland-Manske Center Charlie and Ling Zhang Orchestra Hall. It is going to be an evening filled with dynamic performances and a variety of jazz styles, featuring the Concordia Jazz Combo and the Concordia Jazz Orchestra, led by Associate Professor and Director of Music Education, Christian Hauser and Adjunct Professor Len Montgomery. The ensembles will perform an eclectic range of pieces, each carefully selected and arranged to showcase the talents of Concordia’s jazz musicians.

Concordia welcomes back the PBS Christmas Special, “Come and See”

10/25/2024 - 2 minute read

Concordia’s Music Department has been working diligently since the middle of September and will do so until November for the preparation of “Come and See,” the next Christmas Television Special for PBS SoCal. Students and professors are working on recording the variety of music that will be heard in the special, and watched frequently in the two weeks before Christmas.

Celebrated as "the Pianist of the Presidents", Roger Williams' impact on music was celebrated and ever present at the Centennial concert.

Music Department fetes Roger Williams with grand first concert of the year

10/4/2024 - 2 minute read

Celebrating a hundred years of renowned pianist Roger Williams, the Music Department produced a robust concert on Sept. 28 at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Featuring adjunct professor of piano, Dr. Hyenjoo Choi, Concordia Symphony Orchestra, Donne Di Canto, Men’s Chorus and soloists Bryan Pezzone and icon, Pat Boone, the Roger Williams Centennial Concert was an astounding accomplishment for the Music Department and an electric way to begin the year of performances.

Sacred Music Recital brings together devotions and songs of praise

9/20/2024 - 2 minute read

As Concordia students and faculty observe their regular chapel time, the Music Department welcome everyone to their Fall Sacred Music Recital on Sept. 25. Taking place in the Borland-Manske Center, the Fall Sacred Music Recital will provide thoughtful devotions paired alongside music by the Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. HyeJung Shin.

This year's Music Bootcamp students enjoyed an outing away from the practice rooms, at the Laguna Beach Art Museum

Music Bootcamp gives new students a headstart on their studies

8/30/2024 - 2 minute read

On Aug. 13, the music wing of the Borland Manske Center (BMC) was full of this year's newest class of music students. Kicking off the program that is known as Music Bootcamp, freshmen and transfer students spent three full days meeting faculty, participating in placement exams and auditions and building friendships among each other.

Concordia Masterworks brings triumphant end to the Music Department season

4/26/2024 - 2 minute read

With final performances and concerts going underway, the Concordia Choir and Donne Di Canto chorus, alongside the Master Chorale and the Masterworks Orchestra, gave an expressive grand finale to the year with their Masterworks Concert of Maurice Durufle’s “Requiem” and Ralph Vaughan William’s “Sancta Civitas (The Holy City).”

Known most notably for his work on the movie "Whiplash", John Wasson is a sought after composer and arranger for orchestral music.

Visit from Composer John Wasson inspires Concordia Wind Orchestra

4/12/2024 - 3 minute read

As students in the Music Department work diligently to fine tune their craft, they were recently given the opportunity to learn and work alongside a well respected professional in the field, John Wasson. Across the third week of March, composer and arranger Wasson paid a visit to the Music Department and gave a series of masterclasses, clinics and a final concert with the Concordia Wind Orchestra.

Video Games Concert showcases an innovative genre of music

4/12/2024 - 2 minute read

When attending an orchestra and choir concert at Concordia, audiences can often expect to hear classical or sacred repertoire. However, the upcoming Video Games Concert on April 13 hopes to defy this expectation and present musical works with a choir and full orchestra celebrating popular games including “Final Fantasy,” “Halo,” “Starfield,” “Skyrim,” “World of Warcraft” and “Civilization.”

The CU Center where students can listen to worship music

Chapel music is changing lives

3/22/2024 - 3 minute read

While music fills the air through speakers all over campus, there is nothing quite like the melodies heard from 10:30 to 11 a.m. during chapel in the CU Center. Worship music is a big part of life at Concordia and has affected the listening tastes of students in many ways.

With rehearsals twice a week the Concordia handbell ensembles strive for excellence in their instruments, while also providing new and innovative handbell repertoire.

Concordia handbells delivers joyous music to the East Coast

3/22/2024 - 2 minute read

As the Music Department prepares for their final concerts of the semester, the Concert and Spirit Bells ensembles are rehearsing for their Home Concert and performance tour across North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Under the direction of Alex Guebert ‘11 and Erik Der, Community Engagement Director, the Concert and Spirit Bells ensembles allow for students to perform challenging handbell repertoire, sharpen their musical skills, and build a great sense of community.