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December 18, 2000
SIOUX FALLS - The Augustana College Choir will appear in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 1, at Shepherd of the Glades Lutheran Church, 6020 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, in Naples, Fla.
Under the direction of Dr. James Johnson, the sixty-eight students who make up the choir are participating in the 81st touring season for the ensemble. The 2001 tour began in Rapid City, S.D., and features six Florida cities and Minneapolis, Minn., prior to the home concert in Sioux Falls February 10.
Augustana is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and enrolls 1,800 students. The Augustana Choir performs the finest literature available in the a capella choral tradition and has represented the college throughout the U.S. and the world. The group was selected by Jacques Chirac, the mayor of Paris, to represent the U.S. in ceremonies marking the 50th Anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Normandy at the American Cemetery. Augustana's Choir represented South Dakota in an "American Salute to Austria" in honor of that country's millennium, and has performed throughout Norway.
In June, 2000, the Choir enjoyed a two-week tour of Ireland, Wales and England. Included were performances at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin and Cantebury Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Cantebury, The Church of England.
While on campus, the Augustana Choir participates in a variety of special events and chapel settings. It is the cornerstone of the Christmas Vespers programs and has a full concert schedule spanning the academic year.
Dr. Johnson has selected a broad repertoire for the Florida tour. He includes a special tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach in the 250th anniversary of his death, works by various Swedish composers, and American spirituals by Moses Hogan. The Choir will also perform a section of traditional Lutheran choral music.
Advance tickets are not required. A free-will offering will be received during the concert to assist with travel expenses. For additional information, please call Shepherd of the Glades Lutheran Church at (941) 775-0696.