Concordia Nebraska Mixed Chorus and handbell choirs to collaborate in joint concert

Collaboration is one of the most exciting parts of musicianship. Concordia University, Nebraska offers many collaboration opportunities for musicians throughout the year, including a chamber recital for student-led ensembles and several joint concerts between university ensembles. On April 21, the University Mixed Chorus will collaborate in a combined concert with the Concordia Handbell Choir and the Concordia Ringers.  

“This is the first combined concert with Concordia’s handbell choirs and the Mixed Chorus. I think the pairing of these groups will be very successful, given how the two groups complement each other. It will also be exciting to perform a large-scale hymn concertato which will include congregational singing,” said Music Department Chair Dr. Kurt von Kampen. Von Kampen is also the director of Mixed Chorus.  

The program will be composed of a handbell and a choir section, with the ensembles combining along with some additional instrumentalists for a performance of a hymn concertato on the hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation.”  

“This is the first combined concert with Concordia’s handbell choirs and the Mixed Chorus. I think the pairing of these groups will be very successful, given how the two groups complement each other. It will also be exciting to perform a large-scale hymn concertato which will include congregational singing.”

The Mixed Chorus will be singing five songs including sacred folk songs, a spiritual and the concertato. The Concordia Handbell Choir, under the direction of Professor of Music Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo, will be performing arrangements of “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” along with two renaissance dances with a woodwind quintet. The Concordia Ringers, under the direction of Bethany Zeckzer will also be performing several pieces.  

One of the pieces in the Mixed Chorus portion of the program was taught to the choir by junior music education major Dalton Lee of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Lee will conduct the piece in concert.  

The concert will take place at St. John Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. on April 21. The performance is free and open to the public.  

Students involved in Mixed Chorus include:   

Soprano 

Anna Aschenbeck, Victoria, Texas 

Rebekah Bowman, Buffalo, Texas 

Rachel Brinkman, Plymouth, Minnesota 

Annaliese Burger, Andover Kansas 

Cyloh Carlson, Oak Grove, Minnesota 

Kasha Iwan, Columbus, Nebraska 

Madeline Kearns, St. Charles, Missouri 

Abigail Kyler, Rockville, Missouri 

Emma Lawrence, Blue Earth, Minnesota 

Eliya Mars, Madison, Alabama 

Kylie Meyer, Spring Valley, Minnesota 

Rachel Moldenhauer, Madison, Alabama 

Sarah Murray, Fort Calhoun, Nebraska 

Karalynn Pingel, Jamesville, Wisconsin 

Adreanna Pronschinske, Rollingstone, Minnesota 

Chloe Powell, Marquand, Missouri 

Jocelyn Reif, Wylie, Texas 

Addison Risner, Huntley, Illinois 

Kimberly Schmidt, Seward, Nebraska 

Hannah Schultz, Fort Collins, Colorado 

Naomi Sharkey, Cedar Falls, Iowa 

Reagan Stevenson, Burwell, Nebraska  

Laura VanDerWeide, Jackson, Michigan 

Samantha Vogel, North Royalton, Ohio 

Grace Weber, Sidney, Nebraska 

Kerria Wright, Madison, Nebraska 

Abigail Yakimow, Brighton, Michigan 

Lilian Young, Seward, Nebraska 

Alto 

Katherine Anderson, North Platte, Nebraska 

Jasmine Baker, Anchor Point, Alaska 

Arabella Blakeley, Havana, Illinois 

Ella Brandt, Concordia, Missouri 

Piper Brink, Norfolk, Nebraska 

Kinlee Bruce, Hastings, Nebraska 

Eunice Clausing, Seward, Nebraska 

Emma Fiala, Herculaneum, Missouri 

Kelsey Heinemann, Upland, California 

Emma Higgins, Long Prairie, Minnesota 

Madalyn Kohlmeyer, Tecumseh, Nebraska 

Jocelyn Lime, Bennington, Nebraska 

Haley Phelps, Fenton, Missouri 

Alison Roehrig, Stryker, Ohio 

Elizabeth Salo, Hannibal, Missouri 

Sasha Sam, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 

Patience Starwait, Scotland, South Dakota 

Shasta Tonniges, York, Nebraska 

Rebecca Tredray, Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Catherine Vyhlidal, Morse Bluff, Nebraska 

Naomi Weber, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Tenor 

Timothy Baker, Poy Sippi, Wisconsin 

Andrew Brosius, North Platte, Nebraska  

James Fittje, Fremont, Nebraska 

Max Fritsche, St. Louis, Missouri 

Micah Knerl, Tekamah, Nebraska 

Dalton Lee, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 

Joshua Oberdieck, Elizabeth, Indiana 

Sawyer Scruggs, Wyoming, Michigan 

Harvey Walter, Fort Morgan, Colorado 

Yabi Yidnekachew, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Bass 

Nathan Aschmann, Kearney, Nebraska 

Ethan Bryson, Clarinda, Iowa 

Dylan Buechler, Rapid City, South Dakota 

Andrew Castens, New Haven, Indiana 

Rocco Fritz, Breckenridge, Minnesota 

Matthias Knerl, Tekamah, Nebraska 

Matthew Koenig, Kalispell, Montana 

Andrew Kohlmeyer, Tecumseh, Nebraska 

Nathan Kurth, Stromsburg, Nebraska 

Paul Maestas, Chico, California 

Nathan Mahrt, Allen, Texas 

Patrick Mars, Cody, Wyoming 

Yaphet Michael, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Damion Montoto, Miami, Florida 

Malaki Peoples, Lincoln, Nebraska 

Joshua Schultz, Great Falls, Montana 

Nathan Sievert, Norfolk, Nebraska 

Robert Wagner, Elizabeth, Colorado 

Jeremiah Weaver, Siloam Springs, Arkansas 

Aaron Wulff, St. Charles, Missouri 

Jacob Yakimow, Brighton, Michigan 

Students involved in the Concordia Handbell Choir include:  

Taylor Beal, Wichita, Kansas 

Bailey Bianco, Loveland, Colorado 

Rachel Brinkman, Plymouth, Minnesota 

Ethan Bryson, Clarinda, Iowa 

Amy Crow, Wichita, Kansas 

Matthew Feusse, Saginaw, Michigan 

Miriam Ganoung, Halsey, Nebraska 

Ethan Gillespie, ’24, Seward, Nebraska 

Logann Gillespie, Seward, Nebraska 

Rachel Holst, Hartford City, Indiana 

Samuel Olson, Overland Park, Kansas 

Richard Peperkorn, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Kimberly Schmidt, Seward, Nebraska 

Shasta Tonniges, York, Nebraska 

Student instrumentalists include: 

David Eatherton, trombone, St. Louis, Missouri 

Michaela Gibbs, trombone, Belleville, Illinois 

Emily Castens, trumpet, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Mitchell Stephens, trumpet, Houston, Texas 

Josh Schultz, tuba, Great Falls, Montana 

Deagan Jones, organ, Bunker Hill, Illinois 

Bailey Bianco, clarinet, Loveland, Colorado 

Arabella Blakeley, clarinet, Havana, Illinois 

Naomi Weber, bassoon, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Danielle Turner, flute, Derby, Kansas 

Nathan Feusse, horn, Saginaw, Michigan 

The music department at Concordia University, Nebraska offers students rigorous preparation for glorifying God in their vocations through the study, performance, and teaching of music. Applied lessons, ensembles of many types and top-tier practice facilities allow students to further their study of music at the highest level, no matter their personal interests or previous musical experience. Learn more about the music department here.