The Augustana University School of Music (SoM) has launched The Tiårasang (Norwegian for “10-year song”) Project as part of a bold, decade-long initiative by the Augustana Choir to honor, preserve and reimagine the legacy of Lutheran collegiate choral music.
“The project aims to inspire current and future generations of singers, scholars and listeners — affirming the choir’s role as a performing ensemble, as well as a cultural and spiritual voice within the broader choral tradition,” said Dr. Russell Svenningsen, associate professor of music, director of vocal studies and conductor of The Augustana Choir.
With the launch of the The Tiårasang Project, the SoM released today recordings made by the Augustana Choir in March 2025 at the Chapel of the Good Shepherd at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota, which can be found now on all streaming services.
Each year, as part of The Tiårasang Project, the Augustana Choir will record three works in the chapel at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School — chosen for its extraordinary acoustics, timeless beauty and spiritual resonance. The chapel offers a space where music is not only heard, but deeply felt.
“This sacred space has become far more than a recording venue; it is a creative partner in the project’s mission to preserve and reimagine the tradition of collegiate choral music. The Tiårasang Project Team is deeply grateful for the generous partnership of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, especially the support of their dedicated musicians, educators and staff,” said Svenningsen. “In particular, we extend a heartfelt thanks to Pete Schleif (director of the Vocal Performance Center of Excellence), a passionate music educator at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, whose vision and hospitality have helped make this collaboration not only possible, but truly meaningful.”
These recorded works will include a newly commissioned piece by prominent composers, an arrangement of a beloved hymn or folksong, as well as a selection from the historical choral canon. This year, the Tiårasang Project features Composer Lee Kesselman, and will feature Timothy Tharaldson in 2026 and Jocelyn Hagen in 2027.
“The goal of The Tiårasang Project is to document the evolving sound and spirit of The Augustana Choir, create a significant body of new choral repertoire and deepen the choir’s connection to its past, present and future,” said Director of Operations & Community Partnerships Matthew Erickson.
For more information on the Augustana University School of Music’s Tiårasang Project, visit augie.edu/TiarasangProject.