专辑简介

Established by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants in 1874, St. Olaf College is a four-year private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Located in Northfield, Minn., 40 miles south of Minneapolis/St. Paul, the college is highly respected because of the caliber of its students and their contribution as graduates in science, education, business, music, the professions and the clergy. Of the 3,000 students attending St. Olaf, approximately one-third are involved in the music program through course work, private lessons or participation in one of the many music organizations.

One of eight co-curricular choral ensembles on campus, the St. Olaf Cantorei was established in the 1960s as the Campus Choir to provide opportunities for more students to participate in the St. Olaf choral tradition. In 1986, the choir assumed its present name, which comes from the German Kantorei. Like its historic prototype, the 90-voice ensemble is a relatively complete musical organization of instrumentalists and singers, which as become known for creative programming blending the St. Olaf choral tradition with instrumental color, uniquely honed and focused to lead worship and provide a distinctive musical and spiritual experience. The St. Olaf Cantorei has been conducted by John Ferguson since his appointment to the St. Olaf faculty in 1983 as Elliot and Klara Stockdal Johnson Professor of Organ and Church Music and cantor to the student congregation.