National Lutheran Choir – Minneapolis/St. Paul | celebrating the art and culture of sacred choral music

Historical Highlights, 1986-2006

1986

February: Larry Fleming publicly announces formation of the National Lutheran Choir
May: Auditions for founding members of National Lutheran Choir
November: First Recording Session
December: Bylaws of NLC adopted by Board of Directors

1987

March: First public concert at Cathedral of Saint Paul
August: Nonprofit status established
May: Gala Inaugural Concert at Orchestra Hall

1988

January: Unity Festival performances in Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Forest Lake
February: Touring concerts in Tucson, Sun City, Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona
December: First Christmas Festival at Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis

1989

February: Performances in Rochester, Minnesota and Forest Lake, Iowa
January: NLC recording "Trinity" issued
March: Concert and recording with gospel artist Tom Tipton

1990

June: Pentecost Festival at Central Lutheran Church with Mark Sedio, organist
December: Christmas Festival (becoming a yearly tradition at Basilica of Saint Mary)

1991

March: Performance of Dominick Argento's "The Revelation of St. John the Divine" at Orchestra Hall
June: Workshops and concerts at national conference of Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

1992

March: Lenten Reflection program at St. John's Abbey and Cathedral of Saint Paul
May: Concert with guest conductors Paul J. Christiansen, Kenneth Jennings, Adrian Johnson, Philip Knautz, and Leland Sateren

1993

July: "National Lutheran Choir Series" of choral sheet music being published by Augsburg Fortress
October: Performance at the "Great Commission Convocation" of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
October: Five recordings released on compact disc

1994

February: Touring performances in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin
May: Performances of Johannes Brahms' "Requiem"

1995

March: Performances at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, Washington, DC
March: Four new recordings released: "Heritage II," "Requiem," "Heritage III," and "While Angels Sing"

1996

November: Performance at Minnesota chapter convention of the American Choral Directors Association
December: Annual Christmas Festival performance at Basilica of Saint Mary

1997

March: Tour concerts in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Florida
May: Spring concert at Benson Great Hall, Bethel University, Saint Paul

1998

April: Tour to Saint Louis, Missouri
May: Touring concerts in South Dakota and Minnesota
November: Joint concert with St. John's Boy Choir at Ted Mann Concert Hall

1999

February: Concerts at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, Chicago and beyond; Sig Johnson and Larry Fleming, conducting
May: Touring concerts in Nebraska and Iowa
October: Concert at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, Karle Erickson conducting

2000

February: Touring concerts in Georgia and South Carolina, Paul Brandvik conducting
May: Concert at Benson Great Hall, René Clausen conducting
August: Martin Neary conducts the choir in concert of Bach, Purcell, and others
October: Kenneth Hodgson rehearses choir for Fall and Christmas concerts

2001

May: Fifteenth Anniversary concert, conducted by René Clausen
September: David Cherwien serves as interim conductor for Fall quarter
November: Hymn festivals in Saint Peter and Woodbury, Minnesota
December: Interim conductor Paul Lohman leads the choir in the Christmas Festival

2002

March: Interim conductor Mark Aamot leads choir in tour through Wisconsin
April: Michael Culloton last interim conductor, concerts in Winona, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul
September: David Cherwien begins permanent duties as Music Director

2003

January: Inaugural Choir Tune Up at Westwood Lutheran Church
February: "Waging Peace, not War," a concert led by Alice Parker, composer and conductor
April: Performance at the Valparaiso Institute for Liturgical Studies
June: Performances at the national conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, San Diego, California
November: All Saints Festival performances in Bloomington, Minnesota, and at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa

2004

January: Choir Tune Up with Weston Noble
May: Performance with the Minneapolis Civic Orchestra, Central Lutheran Church
November: Tour concerts in Nebraska and South Dakota
December: Release of "This Night" Christmas compact disc

2005

January: Choir Tune Up with René Clausen
March: Live recording of "Hymns We Love to Sing" program
April: Hymn festival with Concordia University choir, Saint Paul
June: Concert at National Pastoral Musicians conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
October: Concert at the Minnesota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association

2006

January: Choir Tune Up with Dale Warland
February: J.S. Bach program with chamber orchestra and guest conductor, Karl Hochreither
March: Appearance at the North Central regional convention of the American Choral Directors Association
March: Tour concerts at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and St. John Lutheran Church, Des Moines
April: Twentieth anniversary concert with guest conductors Anton Armstrong, Craig Arnold, Greg Aune, René Clausen, Peter Hendrickson, James Johnson, and David Mennicke
December: Commission from Dale Warland for Christmas at the Basilica concerts

2007

January: Choir Tune Up with Anton Armstrong
March: Touring concerts in Wisconsin and Minnesota
March: Performances at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, Miami, Florida
May: Praise Parisienne concert/recording project with Martin Jean, organ

2008

January: Choir Tune Up with Kathy Saltzman Romey
March: Seeds of Faith concert with guest conductor Michael Culloton
April: Touring concerts in Indiana and Michigan