News Archives - 2009
Masterworks begins 16th season with Nov. 1 concert
On Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. the Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg will perform four settings of the Magnificat at the Community of the Cross Lutheran Church in Bloomington. Four soloists will perform in the fall concert including soprano Linh Kauffman, a friend of Augsburg with "a voice that perfectly fits the pieces" of this year's concert, alto Susan Druck, who is on the voice faculty here at Augsburg, tenor Andrew Kane, a current Augsburg day student senior, and bass Aaron Larson, a professional concert soloist whose mother also sings in Masterworks.
The Masterworks Chorale consists of student, faculty, alumni, and community associate singers who perform a fall concert, Advent Vespers, and a spring concert throughout the year, proving it to be a very collaborative project and embodying Augsburg's values in community outreach. The orchestra is professional, but sometimes includes qualified students and faculty—the event this November will feature seven Augsburg faculty and alumni orchestral members.
The Masterworks Chorale was created by Augsburg Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities, Peter Hendrickson, in the fall of 1994. This fall marks both Masterworks' sixteenth year of existence and Hendrickson's sixteenth year of involvement as a programmer and conductor for the event. When Hendrickson came to Augsburg from Macalester College, his dream was to see to it that four distinct choruses, each furnishing its own unique contribution, were established: a mixed student choir (Augsburg Choir), an all girl's student choir (Riverside Singers), an all boy's student choir (Cedar Singers), and a symphonic chorus. Three of these were already somewhat instilled within the Augsburg choral community, but the richness of a symphonic chorus was lacking. Hendrickson was able to model the Masterworks Chorale after the Festival Chorale at Macalester College, and use his "real love for orchestral literature" to fuel his cause, turning symphonic chorus at Augsburg into a resonant success.
This year, Hendrickson began producing the program for Masterworks with one piece in mind—the Magnificat in D Major by Bach—that acted as sort of an anchor in which build around. The outcome was four Magnificat settings by Bach, Schubert, Gabrieli, and Purcell. These Magnificats, meaning "Mary's song," and referring to the Virgin Mary's words in Luke 1:46-55, "My soul magnifies the Lord," will be sung by one hundred voices of auditioned students, alumni, and friends of Augsburg—some of which have been involved with Masterworks since its beginnings.
"Many of the alumni and community members have sung with me for a very long time," Hendrickson said. "They have followed me with this project since day one and we've latched as colleagues."
Although Hendrickson keeps strong ties with original Masterworks members, every year his standard practice is to look for new voices with connections to Augsburg. If students or faculty are interested in getting involved with the chorale, or know a friend who would be a good fit, auditions are set up by appointment with Hendrickson and take place throughout the year.
Tickets for the Nov. 1 concert can be purchased at the door; $15 general, $10 seniors and students.
Story by Becca Andersen
