Winter 2008 Concert Tour

Luther CollegeSymphony Orchestra

Daniel Baldwin, conductor

Spring 2010 Great Plains Tour

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Luther CoLLege

Since 1861, Luther College has placed its faith in a classic resi-dential, liberal arts education.

We believe that providing a rigorous academic program in the context of a faith tradition prepares students for more than successful careers. Luther graduates have a sense of a larger purpose—a sense that the “good life” is one where they use their talents and knowledge in service to others. Our president, Richard Torgerson, puts it this way: “It’s not just about prestige and success. It’s about integrity, fulfill-ment, and knowing that what we do is going to make the world a better place.”

Luther’s liberal arts curriculum begins with 178 full-time faculty who come from the strongest graduate programs in the United States and around the world. They reflect the college’s ideals as a Phi Beta Kappa institution—excel-lence every day in the liberal arts. With expertise ranging from collaborative fil-tering (in computer science) to a fresh interpretation of St. Patrick from Latin (in classics) to biodegradable polyesters (in chemistry), our faculty feel called to be at a place where the attention is on undergraduates. The college’s 12:1 student-faculty ratio makes it possible for professors to know their students well and become intellectual mentors and guides. And because nearly all faculty live within five miles of campus, they make a life here, along with students and colleagues. This cre-ates a strong sense of community and shared purpose on the Luther campus.

The sense of community at Luther is enhanced by the college’s picturesque location. Nestled in the bluff country of northeast Iowa, Luther is a strong

and vibrant residential community purposely set apart. Our 1,000-acre campus includes frontage on the Upper Iowa River, recreation trails, outdoor research sites, and well-designed facili-ties dedicated to teaching and learning. A new $20 million science laboratories center has expanded opportunities for collaborative research and learning.Luther has a strong tradition of en-gaged and experiential learning, most notably our study-abroad programs. Nearly 70 percent of Luther students will study abroad before graduating, placing us among the top 20 baccalau-reate colleges nationally in the number of students studying abroad each year. Many students travel with Luther fac-ulty during the college’s January Term, a month-long intensive course of study with programs on five continents.

We believe music is central to a liberal arts education. As one of our conduc-tors puts it, “Musical expression— artistic expression—answers some of our most fundamental needs as human beings: the need to be creative, the need for self-fulfillment, and the need for self-expression, beauty, and mean-ingful existence.”

In the end a Luther education is about transformation. We put our faith in a strong liberal arts education, rich cocur-ricular programs, and the beauty found in place and community. Students are transformed by their four-year journey at Luther and leave here ready to make their mark in the world.

To learn more about us, visit www.luther.edu or call 1-800-4 LUTHER.

I’m convinced Dan Baldwin is taking Luther’s orchestra program to new heights. He embodies two pillars of effective teaching—discipline and inspiration—and the music he pulls out of his students is nothing short of amazing. —Rick Torgerson, President

Program and notes

Daniel BalDwinDaniel Baldwin has served as director of orchestral activities at Luther College since 1997. In addition to his work as conductor of the Luther College Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and the Opera Workshop, Dr. Baldwin teaches conducting. He holds the bachelor of music degree (cello) from Furman University and mas-ter of music degree (cello) and doctor of musical arts degree (instrumental conducting) from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to his arrival at Luther, Bald-win was associate professor of music and director of orchestras at Central Washington University in Ellens-burg, Wash.

Baldwin received his formal training in string pedagogy as a teacher in the University of Texas String Project, perhaps the most comprehensive program of its kind in North America. Phyllis Young, director of the String Project for 35 years, was Baldwin’s cello teacher during his studies at the University of Texas. He studied con-ducting with Henry Charles Smith, Cornelius Eberhardt, Sung Kwak, Walter Dulcoux, and Fiora Contino.

Baldwin has also served as the musical director of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and the Transylva-nia Youth Orchestra of the Brevard (N.C.) Music Center, the largest summer music festival in the South. A 1991 conducting fellow of the Conductors Institute of the University of South Carolina and formerly a cellist with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Baldwin maintains an active schedule as clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor. In April 2007 Daniel Baldwin accepted the position of musical and artistic director of the Lake Chelan Bachfest in Chelan, Wash. He conducted the Iowa All-State Orchestra in November 2009.

On three occasions since 1997 he has traveled to Europe with the Luther College Symphony Orchestra, enjoying month-long January residencies in Vienna, Austria, and performing in such venues as the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz and the Vienna Konzerthaus. The Luther College Symphony Orchestra tours annually in the United States; since 1997, Baldwin and the Luther orchestra have completed seven major American tours, performing in at least 20 states.

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Overture to RienziRichard Wagner (1813–1883)

Mother Goose Suite: Five Pieces for ChildrenMaurice Ravel (1875–1937)

Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty Tom Thumb Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas Conversations of Beauty and the Beast The Enchanted Garden

inTeRMiSSiOn

Symphony no. 1 in e minor, Op. 39Jean Sibelius (1865–1957)

Andante, ma non troppo; Allegro energico Andante (ma non troppo lento) Scherzo—Allegro; Lento (ma non troppo) Finale—Quasi una Fantasia: Andante; Allegro molto

PROgRaM nOTeS

Richard wagner Overture to Rienzi

Born in Leipzig on May 22, 1813, Richard Wagner was a rather late bloomer, musically speaking. When Wagner at fifteen decided to become a composer, he was at that time completely unschooled in the arts of performance and music composition. He became in a very real sense a self-taught composer, and like many self-taught composers, he never developed certain skills normally regarded as basic to the art of composition. For example, he had no professional skill on any instrument. He could do little more than “pick” at the piano, and he admitted that his skills as a score reader were generally very weak. Wagner compensated for his educational deficiencies and relatively late start through sheer effort, and by tapping a vast reservoir of instinct and profound musical-ity. Among the great composers, Wagner was perhaps the one who flowered latest in life.

But flower he did, and it is not too much to say that Richard Wagner dominated the world of Western art music in the lat-ter half of the nineteenth century. Wagnerian opera changed forever the course of music composition. As we acknowledge his brilliance and his extraordinary musical accomplishments, let us also acknowledge that by even the most generous, liberal standards of behavior, Wagner the man was a rake, and

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an unregenerate scoundrel. Judging the man by his personal conduct, Wagner was supremely selfish, arrogant, virulently racist, amoral, hedonistic, and ruthlessly ambitious. As musi-cal director of an opera company in Magdeburg (his first post as a music professional), Wagner established a pattern of behavior that would be repeated time after time until the end of his life. He ran up enormous debts, made countless enemies, and tried to impose his will on the musical life of the company and the city. And there was also the womaniz-ing. Married for the first time in 1836, Wagner demonstrated time and again that his sexual appetites could not in any way be restrained by moral considerations, or by a sense of loyalty to spouse or friend. Many of his adventures involved younger, married women. At least one of his sweethearts was the wife of a good friend. The “von Bülow affair” is instructive. Hans von Bülow was one of the most important conductors of the second half of the nineteenth century. Von Bülow recognized Wagner’s genius as early as 1850, and he became one of Wag-ner’s most ardent and influential champions. Wagner proved the nature of his feelings toward von Bülow by carrying on a six-year adulterous relationship with the conductor’s wife, Cosima (daughter of Franz Liszt). Between 1865 and 1869, von Bülow’s wife, Cosima, bore three of Richard Wagner’s children. Von Bülow and his wife were divorced in 1870, and in August of the same year, Wagner and Cosima were married. And that, by the way, was not the last of Richard Wagner’s adventures.

Composed between 1838 and 1840, Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen (Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes) was the composer’s third opera, and the first of his works to enjoy any sort of currency in the repertoire. Wagner composed the piece in the midst of rather dire financial, professional, and personal circumstances. The failure of his second opera—Das Liebesverbot, in 1836 at Magdeburg—set Wagner in flight from his creditors. He went first to Berlin in an unsuccessful effort to arrange performances of Das Liebesverbot; later he joined his lover Minna Planer in Königsberg. There Wagner and Minna married, but promises of a conductor position did not materialize, and pressure from Wagner’s creditors forced Minna to flee to her parents’ home in Dresden.

Wagner finally accepted a position at the opera house at Riga, where Minna returned to him in October 1837. It was in Riga, surrounded by the French and Italian operas he was responsible for conducting, that Wagner began composing Rienzi. However, further attempts to outrun his debts inter-rupted his compositional work; it was not until his term in a Parisian debtor’s prison in 1840 that Wagner was able to complete the project.

Rienzi premiered in Dresden on October 20, 1842.

DORian FeSTivalS anD SuMMeR PROgRaMSLuther College hosts hundreds of middle and high school student musicians at seven annual Dorian Festivals and Summer Programs. Participants receive private instruction, ensemble coaching, and performance opportunities in Luther’s own Noble Recital Hall and Center for Faith and Life.

Dorian Band Festival625 participants3 ensembles, including select Symphonic Band

Dorian Choral invitational FestivalMore than 450 participants

Dorian Keyboard FestivalMore than 150 participantsPiano, organ and harpsichord

Dorian Orchestra FestivalMore than 200 participants3 ensembles, including select Chamber Orchestra

Dorian Junior and Senior High Summer CampsMore than 600 participants

Dorian vocal Festival1,250 participantsChoral and solo opportunities, including select

Chamber Choir

For information, contactJim Buzza, coordinatorDorian Music Camps, Luther College563.387.1389jimbuzza@luther.eduhttp://music.luther.edu

reCordings

Program

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Maurice RavelMother Goose Suite: Five Pieces for Children

This nominal tribute to Mother Goose was written as a piano duet (1908), and was later orchestrated by the composer. In fact a good deal of Ravel’s orchestra music was originally composed for the piano (e.g. Pavane pour une infante défunte, Alborado del Gracioso, the third movement Habanera of the Rapsodie Espagnole, Le Tombeau de Couperin, and the Valses Nobles et Sentimentales). And one of his most popular works involves yet another piano piece—Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Mother Goose represents for Ravel a simpler, more modest, pared-back sound as compared with other of the composer’s best-known pieces (think of Bolero, Tzigane, La Valse, or Daphnis et Chloë). If Mother Goose herself does not figure in the suite, her apparent absence is more than made up for by the Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, and Beauty and the Beast.

Jean SibeliusSymphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39

Jean Sibelius completed the Symphony No. 1 in 1899; the composer himself conducted the first performance of the work on April 26, 1899, in Helsinki. It is interesting to note that although Sibelius died in 1957 at the age of 92 years, he composed nothing of artistic substance after 1929. Hence, on the occasion of the premiere of his First Symphony, Sibelius’s life as an active, creating artist was more than half over.

Sibelius had in fact composed some orchestral music (con-cert overtures, symphonic poems) prior to the appearance of his First Symphony. It is important to note also that Sibelius’s early works had often been conceived as program music, pieces with extra-musical, perhaps literary associations. For example, Sibelius composed music based on subjects from the Nordic mythology of his native Finland, especially stories

aaROn SHaTzeR ‘10ContrabassoonWoodridge, Ill.Math major, Computer Science and Africana Studies minor

Practice makes perfect: Spends at least 15 hours a week playing his bas-soon in Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and

Norsewinds, a student woodwind quintet; also plays bass drum in pep band.

work-study: Serves as a tutor in the math department and Student Academic Support Center.

academic studies: With many AP credits he earned in high school bolstering his transcript, he found room in his course load to study African literature and the Twi (schew-EE) language in Ghana for a semester, for example. He also chose upper-level courses well outside his major areas like “Gender and Sexuality in Asian Religion.”

why he chose the bassoon: I chose to play the bas-soon because of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia. It sounded fun and silly and was my first choice when picking an instrument for band in fifth grade. The high school didn’t have any spare bassoons at that time, so I had to play the oboe until I got to junior high, when a high school bassoonist graduated. This year, I’ve had to pick up the contrabassoon, which is a whole differ-ent beast. It’s been fun and challenging to learn a new instrument and perform on it at the same time.

Favorite lCSO tradition: I’d probably have to go with the pre-concert chants. After tuning but before going on stage, Dr. Baldwin leads us in the L-C-S-O chant to get us pumped up. We (the bassoon section) then fol-low that with our own bassoon chant.

after graduation: Aaron is starting a Ph.D. in math and hopes to eventually get a job as a math professor at a liberal arts college “like Luther.”

available in the lobby

The Christmas at Luther 2009 CD features choral and orchestral pieces performed at the 2009 Christmas at Luther concerts December 3–6. The 2008 performance CD and DVD are also available.

Russian Masterworks and Brahms CDs feature the music of Symphony Orchestra, Luther’s top orchestra. The Symphony Orchestra is also featured in the newest Luther College recording, Johannes Brahms A German Requiem DVD.

You may also order these and other recordings online at http://music.luther.edu or by calling the Luther Book Shop at 1-888-521-5039.

from the national epic known as Kalevala. As a result of this early preoccupation with national subjects, Sibelius has been wrongly regarded as a “folklore” composer, even in connec-tion with his seven symphonies. Whatever extra-musical asso-ciations may be evoked by his symphonies, Sibelius himself denied that they possessed any programmatic background. In 1934 he told Walter Legge (an English critic) that to him music began where words left off, that his symphonies were conceived as music, free from any literary basis, founded on purely musical elements. The fact that others have later given programmatic interpretations of the symphonies is, however, quite understandable because these seven works at least sug-gest particular feelings and states of mind. The Symphony No. 1 does this perhaps to a greater extent than the other six because it represents Sibelius’s first struggle with symphonic form and because at the time he wrote it, Sibelius was work-ing on other projects with mythological subjects (such as the Lemminkäinen Suite, which includes the well-known “Swan of Tuonela”). At the time, the composer was also deeply com-mitted to the patriotic struggle to free Finland from Russian domination; his tone poem Finlandia, which attained world-wide popularity, struck a powerful blow for his country’s cause.

The First Symphony may therefore be understood as an at-tempt to break out of the sphere of program music into the more traditional realm of absolute, symphonic music. When Sibelius composed this Symphony in E minor, Bruckner and Brahms had recently died, and Mahler was hard at work on his symphonies. Sibelius was familiar with the works of all these composers, and he also had a high opinion of the symphonies of Tchaikovsky. With the symphonic achieve-ments of Brahms and Tchaikovsky and Mahler looming over his shoulder, it is quite remarkable that Sibelius produced in his first attempt so polished, skillfully crafted, and individual a work as his First Symphony, and the fact that it did not at the time win broad critical acceptance is no argument against its value as art.

Jenna nORDSCHOw ‘10Cello (principal)McHenry, Ill.Music major, Africana Studies minor

How she ended up at luther—despite her best efforts: For Jenna, attending Luther is something of a family tradition. Her grand-mother, Barbara (Orwoll) Nordschow ’49, sang in the very first Nordic Choir, and her grandfather, Carleton Nordschow ’49, served on the Board of Regents for many years. Jenna’s father—as well as his brothers—all attended Luther. When Jenna’s older sister, Nich-ole ‘07, enrolled at Luther, Jenna convinced herself she was going to do something different, but—“I couldn’t fight it,” she says with a smile. It was a les-son with Luther cello professor Eric Kutz that con-vinced her: “It was a perfect fit—I progressed even in that first hour together.”

How she chose the cello (or rather, the cello chose her): Music is also a family affair for the Nordschows. Jenna’s dad is a sound engineer who started his own business designing bass amplification speak-ers. Her mom performs in community theatre and directs the Sunday School choirs at church. And big sister Nichole is, as Jenna puts it, “living the dream,” studying opera at Florida State in Tallahassee, and currently performing in The Magic Flute. In fact, it is Nichole that can be credited for launching Jenna’s musical career. As a first grader, she came home from school with a beautiful new violin, sending four-year-old Jenna into a fit of jealousy. She was so persistent in her desire to also play the violin, that Jenna’s mom finally talked to the orchestra director. The director, desperate for cello players, agreed to take Jenna at the tender age of four—if she’d play cello. The rest, as they say, is history.

One of her favorite vienna memories: Buying standing-room-only tickets for the opera. “It was in-credible. I just stood and watched this amazing opera for three hours in a hot room behind all these people —and I didn’t even care because it was so amazing.”

what she loves most about luther College Sym-phony Orchestra: “There’s just a huge sense of community— everyone is so tight. You can feel the passion. Everyone is in it for the same reason. It’s just really easy to make music with your friends.”

5Russian Masterworks CDChristmas at Luther

2009 CDJohannes Brahms A German Requiem DVD

PersonneL

orChestra at Luther

The Luther College Symphony Orchestra, Luther’s largest and oldest orchestral ensemble, maintains an active rehearsal and performance schedule during

the academic year, from early September to late May. More than 80 student musicians, representing a variety of academic majors, perform with Symphony Orchestra. Many also play chamber music, sing in a choir, or play in a jazz ensemble.

In addition to regular concerts featuring masterworks of the standard orchestral literature, Symphony Orchestra takes great pride in performing new music on a regular basis—since 2001, the orchestra has been pleased to present four world premieres. Members of the orchestra also perform with the Luther College choirs, in periodic performances of major choral/orchestral works, and in the annual Christmas at Luther festival performances.

Symphony Orchestra tours yearly throughout the United States and maintains a three-week residency in Vienna,

FluteRachel Haug, Winona, Minn.* Bianca Najera, New Prague, Minn.Victoria Nelson, Afton, Minn.

Oboe Amanda Rudnickas, Woodbury, Minn.*

Anna (Kemp) and Russell Norris ChairMason Tran, Canton, S.D.

english hornMason Tran, Canton, S.D.

ClarinetNora Shaffer, Greeley, Colo.*Sydnie Reynolds, Norwalk, Iowa

BassoonKeith Root, Elmhurst, Ill.*Laura Christensen, Colorado Springs,

Colo. Anne Kuttler, Davenport, Iowa

ContrabassoonAaron Shatzer, Woodridge, Ill.

Horn Kristen Haug, Winona, Minn.* Vanessa Anderson, Encinitas, Calif. Laura Briney, Geneseo, Ill.Samuel Egger, Council Bluffs, Iowa Brooke Ten Napel, Sibley, Iowa

TrumpetAndrew Prahlow, Florissant, Mo.*Trygve Butler, Kenmore, Wash.

Gregory Daniels, Long Grove, IowaMitchell Dietz, Montgomery, Minn.

TromboneNathanael Engh, Wayzata, Minn.*

Dorothy (Bonnell) and Russell Ziemer ChairErik Ripley, Kenosha, Wis.

Bass TromboneEthan Scholl, Owatonna, Minn.

TubaOrey Robie, Independence, Wis.

HarpRachel Miessler, Northfield, Minn.Emily Wonder, Caledonia, Ill.

CelesteSarah May, Rockford, Ill.

PercussionJacob Blain, Fond du Lac, Wis.*Sabrina Hawkinson, Prior Lake, Minn.Aaron Rosell, Stillwater, Minn.Austen Smith, North Liberty, Iowa

First violinBrooks Berg, Hudson, Wis.*

Torgerson ConcertmasterKarla Dietmeyer, Peachtree City, Ga.Katherine Perschbacher, Coon Rapids,

Minn.Sarah Bulger, Decorah, IowaDaniel Fernelius, Crystal, Minn.Hae Lim Yook, Jeonju, South KoreaEhler Orngard, Pilot Mound, Iowa

Matthew Lind, Wausau, Wis.Emmalee Johnson, Saint Anthony, Minn.Nathan Steele, Kohler, Wis.Jennifer Fischer, Austin, Minn.Nicole Woodson, Davenport, Iowa

Second violinHannah Lund, Lakeville, Minn.*

Guy Johnson and John J. Hancock ChairAleese Kenitzer, Schofield, Wis.Benjamin Hanchett, Normal, Ill.Emma Hellmann, Andover, Minn.Christine Kennedy, Washington, IowaEsther Novak, Decorah, IowaMaura Goodin, Decorah, IowaSarah Corfman, Dubuque, IowaKaysie Peterson, Byron, Minn.Evelyn Charles, Iowa City, IowaLaura Swanson, Stillwater, Minn.Amy Anderson, Ramsey, Minn .

viola Sean Dostal, Coralville, Iowa*

Andrea Nelson and Kathryn Nelson ChairHannah Buehler, Stevens Point, Wis.Susannah Clark, Saint James, Minn.Angela Kratchmer, Clarksville, Iowa Lindsay Sheridan, Sun Prairie, Wis.Jocelyn Hare, Leaf River, Ill.Emily Gillaspey, Sioux Falls, S.D.Clara Olson, Saint Paul, Minn.Hannah Swanson, Duluth, Minn.Carly Blazing, Rochester, Minn.

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Austria, every four years, performing in venues such as the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz. Recent domestic tours have included trips to the Pacific Northwest, the Great Plains states, the Southeast, and the

Upper Midwest. Symphony Orchestra performed at the 2008 Ilinois MENC convention held in conjunction with the Illinois All-State Festival.

The Luther College Symphony Orchestra engages local and regional high school students through several educational opportunities. Each February, Symphony Orchestra hosts more than 200 high school string players at the annual Dorian Orchestra Festival. In cooperation with music specialists for the Decorah School District, Symphony Orchestra has presented special programs of music for elementary school children in northeast Iowa.

Five chairs in the Luther College Symphony Orchestra benefit from endowed scholarships generously provided by Luther donors. Scholarship recipients are determined by auditions conducted under the guidance of the orchestra conductor.

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SPRing 2010 aPPeaRanCeS

Friday, March 19, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Trinity United Methodist Church Charles City, Iowa

Saturday, March 20, 2010 / 7:00 p.m.First Plymouth Congregational ChurchLincoln, Nebraska

Sunday, March 21, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Our Savior’s Lutheran ChurchGreeley, Colorado

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Bethany Lutheran ChurchCherry Hills Village, Colorado (Denver area)

wednesday, March 24, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts CenterFort Hays State UniversityHays, Kansas

Thursday, March 25, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Wichita East High SchoolWichita, Kansas

Friday, March 26, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Faith Lutheran ChurchClive, Iowa

Saturday, March 27, 2010 / 2:00 p.m.Fair Oaks Middle SchoolFort Dodge, Iowa

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 / 7:30 p.m.Center for Faith and LifeLuther CollegeDecorah, Iowa

CelloJenna Nordschow, McHenry, Ill.*Phuc Phan, Hanoi, VietnamMaren Quanbeck, Roseville, Minn.Melanie Ellison, Durango, Colo.Olivia Hahn, Waterloo, IowaMacaulley Whitlock, Duluth, Minn.Alexander Olson, Fargo, N.D.Charles Rasmussen, Walworth, Wis.Emily Mineart, Decorah, IowaJonathan Shrader, Wayzata, Minn.Nicole Littlejohn, Wales, Wis.

String BassJohanna Anderson-Beckman, Owatonna, Minn.*Alyse Carlson, Centennial, Colo.Nicholas Harvey, Wausau, Wis.Austin Swenson, Boone, IowaGavin Colahan, Brookfield, Wis.

*principal

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internationaL touring

they had heard the Vienna Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic, both world-class orchestras, perform in this space. Now the Luther College Sym-phony Orchestra was to take the stage and put out the same kind of music, something a sophisticated Vienna audi-ence would appreciate. They were both intimidated and inspired.

They were also prepared. This con-cert was, in fact, the culmination of a month-long residency in Vienna. Three weeks earlier the orchestra had arrived in Vienna, moved their luggage into a

Vienna

The orchestra finished tuning, and all eyes shifted from the concert-master to a small TV monitor in

the corner of the room, set to a view of the main hall. To everyone’s utter amazement, it revealed a full house. After taking in performance after stun-ning performance as audience members in this very hall, tonight the Luther College Symphony Orchestra would be on stage at the renowned Vienna Konzerthaus, performing a full concert in one of the top performing venues in the world.

Conductor Dan Baldwin sat alone in the conductor’s room, dressing and pre-paring himself for what was to come. He was fully aware of the import of the moment. Herbert von Karajan, Leon-ard Bernstein, Bruno Walter…all the great conductors of the 20th century had dressed in this very spot. He was not surprised at the size of the audi-ence—after all, this was Vienna, where attending an evening symphony was as common as going out for dinner.

The students, however, were stunned. In the month they had been in Vienna,

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hotel room and their instruments into a rehearsal space down the block, and quickly settled into a daily routine of rehearsals, sightseeing, and concerts.

Mornings consisted of a quick hotel breakfast followed by rehearsal from 8:00 to 11:00. After an early lunch and another one or two hours of rehearsal, students were free to take the U-Bahn down to the first district, visit the local art museums, or just take in the beautiful architecture of Vienna. After dinner, most students attended an opera or symphony concert, often buy-

The concert went tremendously well, and the orchestra left feeling trium-phant. Hanson describes the once in a lifetime experience simply—“It felt like we were the center of the universe.”

Yes, for the students, this was an ex-perience of a lifetime. For Baldwin, it was an evening he’ll never forget. And for the Viennese audience, it was just another night of great music at the Konzerthaus.

ing standing-room-only tickets for five euros apiece.

Of course, four to five hours of daily rehearsal had done much to bring the orchestra to a new level of perfor-mance. “It is really productive to be able to spend so much time rehears-ing together on our tour program,” explains recent alum Chris Hanson. But, perhaps even more important to their growth as an ensemble was the time they spent immersed in Viennese culture. “The experience of being com-pletely surrounded by a city that has music so deeply rooted in its culture was inspiring,” says Hanson. “It really encouraged us to strive to reach new musical heights.”

“Getting to play music and go to muse-ums every day, then going to concerts and exploring the Viennese nightlife every night was a blast,” adds senior contraboosinist Aaron Shatzer. “I stood for a five hour production of Tristan und Isolde and finally realized how awe-some opera is. ”

Now it was their turn. With hearts and minds full of all they had experienced over the past weeks, the Luther College Symphony Orchestra took the stage of the Konzerthaus. “It’s pretty mind-bending,” admits Baldwin. “Here we are on this stage where the greatest musi-cians in the world have performed. It’s like a dream—it’s tough to take it in.”

Indeed. The students search in vain for words to describe the experience. “Any-body who tries to describe the Vienna thing, words really fall short,” explains Baldwin. “It really is life-changing.”

“Here we are on this stage where the greatest musicians in the world have performed. It’s like a dream—it’s tough to take it in.” —Dan Baldwin, conductor

musiC of the first order

of hard work and discipline on the part of his students. “The members of the orchestra work very hard,” says Baldwin. “This is essential. No level of talent, no matter how extraordinarily high, will make up for a poor work ethic. This work ethic is one of our orchestra’s greatest strengths.”

The students say they are simply meeting the standard he has set. “Dr. Baldwin knows what he wants from the orchestra—the kind of sound he wants,” says recent alum Chris Hanson. “He re-ally does inspire everyone to play their best and sound their best and not be afraid when they make music.”

“What I shoot for,” says Baldwin, “is a conservatory-like commitment in a liberal arts setting. We want to present music of the first order. I am delighted that Luther wants to turn out literate, liberally educated, whole persons, but if we’re going to have a music program, we want it to be first-rate. I don’t think those two things are incompatible.”

In fact, many of the students that make up the Symphony Orchestra are not music majors. “In my 12 years here,

Dan Baldwin had a great job as associate professor of music and director of orchestras at

a state university in Ellensburg, Wash-ington. He got married there, bought a home there, and had his first child there. He had secured tenure, and the orchestra program was doing well.

So what made him pack up his family, sell his house, walk away from tenure, and move to Decorah, Iowa? He can’t quite explain it himself, except to say, “The future looked brighter here.”

As Baldwin explains, “The choral groups here have always thrived, and the band has such history—it’s 125 years old. But the orchestra is the last flower to open.” In fact, when Baldwin arrived in 1997, the orchestra program was ready for new direction. And he believed things could change.

The position initially caught his at-tention because Luther reminded him of the kind of liberal arts school he had attended as an undergraduate in South Carolina. “The quality of Luther College as a school was attractive. The school was committed to the liberal

arts, and the study-abroad possibilities here were attractive to me.”

It was a “calculated gamble,” he says. And it has paid off tremendously—for both Baldwin and Luther College. Over the last 12 years, Baldwin has built a thriving orchestra program involving three ensembles and more than 150 students.

“It’s not been painless,” admits Baldwin. “We’ve had to make some choices—how are we going to use the time and resources we have? The orchestra’s commitments and responsibilities had to be rebalanced. We needed long stretches of time to learn symphonic literature.”

And it’s involved a tremendous amount

the sesquiCentenniaL fund 2008–12

In May 2007 the Luther College Board of Regents endorsed the college’s newest strategic-planning effort—Luther College: Trans-formed by the Journey —a vision that will guide decision-making beyond Luther’s sesquicentennial in 2011.

The recommendations in this plan seek to accomplish the overall goal of transforming students’ lives. There are three strategic imperatives in the plan, and there is a correlating fund-raising initiative to help bring the goals of the plan to fruition. The Sesquicentennial Fund is a comprehensive five-year effort to raise $50 million.

Strategic imperative i: Connecting Faith, learning, and the larger world ($16 million) Luther seeks to significantly undergird support for teaching and learning. We will invest in our faculty and staff by creating the en-dowed Fund for Transformational Teaching and Learning. Priorities include teaching and research fellowships, support for pre-tenure

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sabbaticals, assessment workshops, professional development op-portunities, and further strengthening of distinctive programs like Paideia. Further investment in students’ lives will be made by cre-ating endowed scholarships for study-abroad to ensure all students have an opportunity for international travel. Independent and col-laborative research between students and faculty mentors through funded research fellowships is also central to this imperative.

Strategic imperative ii: Connecting People, Place, and the luther experience ($27 million) Those who love Luther know that the college’s strong academic program, faith tradition, sense of community, and picturesque loca-tion create a unique and powerful learning experience. Investing in a quality education may be daunting; affordability will always be a factor for many families. Luther responds to this ever-present con-cern by setting forth an impressive new goal—to establish more than 300 new endowed scholarships. With nearly 500 scholarships already on the books at Luther College, this further investment in

“What I shoot for is a conservatory-like commitment in a liberal arts setting.” —Dan Baldwin, conductor

close to half the concertmasters I’ve served with are non-majors,” says Bald-win. “And that’s indicative of the sort of program we have. When we get on that stage, it’s not about major or non-major. That’s quite beside the point. We strive to uphold the highest standard at all times.”

“He really knows how to run a rehearsal,” says principal cellist Jenna Nordschow. “We never have an unproductive rehearsal—we always prog-ress.”

In addition to standard orchestral masterworks, the Symphony Orchestra regu-larly performs new composi-tions. Since 2001 the orches-tra has presented four world premieres, the most recent a piece by Luther faculty mem-ber and composer Brooke Joyce.

It’s a very intentional educational choice on Baldwin’s part. “Learning and performing new music requires a differ-ent kind of musicianship,” he explains. “Twenty-first century composers make

demands on our ears and our tech-niques and our intellects that earlier composers do not, so it’s a stretch-ing experience that requires different muscles. That’s a pretty important part of the educational process.”

And ultimately, Baldwin sees his role as that of educator. “The orchestra needs to know that I’m serious about teach-ing—that I care about the orchestra, that I care about each of them. We have very smart students here, and they can tell if the person on the

podium is an educator.”

“I love being a part of LCSO because of the community it provides,” says contra-bassonist Aaron Shatzer. “A lot of things change during your time at college, but Symphony is a constant positive

experience. The people I’ve met in orchestra are people I’m going to stay close to for a long time.”

Raising his own children— Charlie, age 13, and Katya, 8—has clarified this role for Baldwin. “I’m trying to raise two kids to be re-sponsible, productive mem-bers of society. The thing that I’m doing with my life that’s most enduring is raising my children. But I’m also helping to raise the next generation of students here. Now I’m not

their father, but I am training the next generation of music educators, conduc-tors, choir directors, and music minis-ters. And that’s pretty important.”

The Sesquicentennial Fund builds upon the success of the Higher Calling Campaign, the largest campaign in the college’s history. Like the previous funding initiative, the goals of the Sesquicenten-nial Fund flow directly from the priorities voiced through broad-based collaborative thinking and strategic planning. Luther thanks the many people who came together to set the course for this next phase through the new strategic plan, Transformed by the Journey.

As with all funding initiatives, the success of the Sesquicentennial Fund will depend on the goodwill and philanthropic support of the many who love Luther College and believe in our mission. We invite you to join us on this journey.

For more information on giving to Luther College, call the Devel-opment Office at 800.225.8664 or visit the http://giving.luther.edu website.

endowment growth will significantly assist families in affording a Luther education. Also integral to connecting people and place is the all-important Annual Fund. Unrestricted giving, a hallmark of Luther’s institutional health, is a concrete investment in the lives of students.

Strategic imperative iii: Connecting Sustainability, Stewardship, and global Citizenship ($7 million) Few problems confronting humanity are more pressing than how we interact with our physical environment. Luther College seeks to invest in renewable energy (wind, solar, and biomass) to save energy costs and reduce the college’s carbon footprint. We also seek to establish a Center for Sustainable Communities to serve as a catalyst for change and be an educational resource for the region. The center will integrate multiple aspects of a sustainable community—food, education, energy, business development, and entrepreneurship—while providing students of all ages with practi-cal learning experiences.

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musiC faCuLty

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EDWIN ANDERECK. D.M.A., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Head of voice and opera, vocal literature.

HEATHER ARMSTRONG. D.M.A., Eastman School of Music. Oboe, theory, double reeds methods.

CRAIG ARNOLD. D.M.A., Eastman School of Music. Director of choral activities, choral methods, conducting, Nordic Choir.

ERIC ASHCRAFT. M.M., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Voice.

DANIEL BALDWIN. D.M.A., University of Texas at Austin. Conducting, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra.

ANN BENJAMIN. M.M., Indiana University. Harp.

REBECCA BOEHM SHAFFER. D.M.A., University of Northern Colorado. Horn, brass methods.

TOM BOURCIER. M.M., Western Michigan University. Jazz Band, improvisation, theatre/dance composition.

JASON BRITTON. Ph.D., University of Oregon. Theory, ear training.

ROSEMARY BRUMBELOW. B.M., Middle Tennessee State University. Clarinet.

BARTLETT BUTLER. Ph.D., University of Illinois. Professor emeritus.

MICHAEL CHESHER. D.M., Indiana University. Clarinet, saxophone, woodwind methods.

DENNIS L. DARLING. Ed.D., University of Illinois. Music education.

AMY ENGELSDORFER. M.M., University of Kentucky; A.B.D., Indiana University. Theory, ear training.

ROLF ERDAHL. D.M.A., Peabody Conservatory. Double bass, string methods.

SUZANNE ERNST. Flute choir, recorder consort.

RONALD FOX. D.M., Indiana University. Professor emeritus.

JUBAL FULKS. D.M.A., State University of New York–Stony Brook. Violin.

MICHAEL GEARY. M.A., A.B.D., University of Iowa. Percussion, Percussion Ensemble, percussion methods.

DAVID GREEDY. M.M., Eastman School of Music. Professor emeritus.

JAMES GRIESHEIMER. Ph.D., Indiana University. Music history, music appreciation.

JUAN TONY GUZMÁN. Ph.D., Florida State University. Music education, ethnomusicology, Jazz Orchestra.

GRANT HARVILLE. M.M., University of Michigan. Tuba, euphonium, brass ensemble.

CAROL HESTER. D.M., Florida State University. Flute, flute methods.

HARRY HINDSON. D.M.A., University of Wisconsin–Madison. Saxophone.

XIAO HU. D.M.A., State University of New York–Stony Brook. Piano, class piano.

DU HUANG. D.M.A., State University of New York–Stony Brook. Piano, class piano.

HELEN JAMES. D.M.A., University of Oregon. Bassoon.

BROOKE JOYCE. Ph.D., Princeton University. Theory, composition, music history, electronic music.

DAVID JUDISCH. D.M.A., University of Iowa. Voice, vocal methods, Dorian Music Camp director.

KAREN KANAKIS. D.M.A., University of North Texas. Voice, opera.

KRISTIN KENNING. M.M., A.B.D., University of Minnesota. Voice.

MIKO KOMINAMI. M.M., Juilliard School. Piano, theory.

JUSTIN KRAWITZ. M.M., University of Cape Town. Piano.

WILLIAM KUHLMAN. M.M., Syracuse University. Professor emeritus.

ERIC KUTZ. D.M.A., Juilliard School. Cello, string methods.

JACOB LASSETTER. D.M.A., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Voice.

PETER LINGEN. Guitar, lute, class guitar.

LINDA MARTIN. M.A., University of St. Thomas. Theory, ear training, Cantorei, general music education.

SPENCER MARTIN. D.M.A., University of Minnesota. Viola, conducting, Philharmonia.

MAURICE MONHARDT. Ph.D., University of Iowa. Professor emeritus.

GARY MOSS. D.M.A., University of Michigan. Voice, ear training.

WESTON NOBLE. M.M., University of Michigan. Professor emeritus.

FREDERICK NYLINE. M.A., University of Minnesota. Concert Band, Varsity Band, Wind and Percussion Ensemble, conducting.

JESSICA PAUL. D.M.A., University of Illinois. Vocal coach, collaborative arts.

SANDRA PETER. D.M.A., University of Iowa. Conducting, Aurora, Cathedral Choir.

TIMOTHY PETER. D.M.A., University of Arizona. Department head, Collegiate Chorale, Norsemen.

GREGORY PETERSON. D.M.A., University of Iowa. Organ, church music, Chapel Choir, Luther Ringers, college organist.

KATHRYN REED-MAXFIELD. M.A., University of Michigan. 2009–10 Nottingham Program director.

BETH RAY WESTLUND. D.M.A., University of Texas at Austin. Voice, diction.

GABRIEL SHUFORD. D.M.A., State University of New York–Stony Brook. Ear training, harpsichord, class piano, Collegium Musicum.

MICHAEL SMITH. D.M.A., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Low brass, brass ensembles, brass methods.

JOHN F. STRAUSS. D.M.A., University of Texas at Austin. Piano.

VIRGINIA STRAUSS. D.M.A., University of Texas at Austin. Violin, advanced ear training, counterpoint.

JONATHON STRUVE. M.M., Northwestern University; A.B.D., University of Iowa. Voice.

RICHARD TIRK. D.M.A., Michigan State University. Trumpet.

LAUREN VARLEY. M.M., San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Trumpet.

RACHEL WARE. M.M., University of Minnesota. Voice.

MARJORIE WHARTON. M.A. (French), Tulane University; D.M.A., University of Iowa. Piano, class piano, French.

ANDREW WHITFIELD. D.M.A., Louisiana State University. Voice, opera workshop.

SUSAN WILLIAMS. M.M., Indiana University. Voice, class voice.

musiC at Luther

Martin Luther—our namesake—believed music to be “one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” For over 130 years Luther

students have been sharing this marvelous gift with audiences across the country and around the globe.

Music is much more than a gift, though. It’s an integral part of the community of faith and the community of learning on campus. The arts are fundamental to the liberal arts experience at Luther; they help to define what it means to be human. Here creative scholarship, personal growth, worship, and social relations merge to create an understanding of the wholeness of life.

The vibrancy of Luther’s music program is rooted in a balance between the academic rigor of our acclaimed music major and the numerous opportunities for study and performance by students from all disciplines across campus.

At Luther the campus is alive with the sounds of seven choirs, three bands, three orchestras, two jazz bands, and nearly 1,000 student musicians. Our students perform in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons, and master classes. More than 350 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, church music, and performance. It all adds up to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world!

For more information about Luther’s music program, visit the Luther College music website, http://music.luther.edu.

luther CollegeFounded in 1861 by Norwegian immigrants, Luther College provides its 2,500 students with a classic liberal arts education. Luther offers more than 60 majors and pre-professional and certificate programs leading to the bachelor of arts degree.

The college’s strong academic program includes internships, professional semesters, and extensive study-abroad opportu-nities. Dedicated and talented faculty help Luther students develop solid research, writing, and critical-thinking skills, while the close-knit community imbues its members with a service ethic.

The Phi Beta Kappa college is bolstered by its Lutheran foundation, celebrated for its vibrant music and arts tradi-tion, and enriched by its strong athletic program.

Jenson-noble Hall of Music325-seat recital hall

Center for Faith and life1,600-seat main hall, 200-seat recital hall

Center for the arts225-seat black-box theatre

MuSiC/aRTS FaCiliTieS

exPerienCe Luther

To arrange a campus visit, call the admissions Office at (800) 458-8437.

admissions@luther.edu

www.luther.edu

luther College700 College DriveDecorah, iowa 52101