St Olaf Choir with Amici de Lumine - Endler Hall, Stellenbosch

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Wednesday, 12 June, 19h00 | Endler Hall, University of Stellenbosch

Celebrated Conductor, Dr. Anton Armstrong, brings his award-winning St Olaf Choir

With Host Choir: Amici de Lumine, conducted by Michaelangelo Cloete

American and World music, Choral Standards, Hymns, African-American Spirituals, Folk Songs, South African, Living Composers, and more. 

“When they opened their mouths to sing, an even wall of sound emerged: words clear, notes true. But more than that, the notes were felt … (The St. Olaf Choir is) good because of its remarkable balance and mellow tone … It’s good because of its dynamic shadings: its ability to sustain, then build from, nearly inaudible pianos, or to distinguish between a forte and a fortissimo … Dr. Anton Armstrong, the group’s leader since 1990, is clearly a gifted choral director – and a teacher to the core.” ~ The New York Times

Open Seating based on your ticketed section

R200 - Rows A-F

R150 - Rows G-M

R100 - Rows N-T

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Wheelchair spaces can be booked in row F 1-2 and G 1-2

Venue Address: Victoria St & Neethling St, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

Parking: Parking is available in the vicinity of the Konservatorium and surrounding University buildings. There are no parking fees.

Refreshments And Meals: Refreshments not available at the venue.

Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance start time. Open seating within your purchased section

Learn more here: https://www.classicalmovements.com/stolaf-sa-tour/

St. Olaf Choir

For more than a century, the St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Dr. Anton Armstrong, has set the gold standard for choral singing, performing for millions around the world. Composed of 75 mixed voices, the St. Olaf Choir is hailed as one of the nation’s premier a cappella ensembles, renowned for its artistry and beauty of sound. The St. Olaf Choir was founded in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, whose work established the ensemble’s standard of excellence and its tradition of bringing music to audiences outside of campus. Christiansen chose spiritually profound music and pushed student musicians to perfect a tone that was disciplined, controlled, and free of excessive vibrato. That sound — securely in tune, controlled in pitch, smooth in delivery — became the choir’s hallmark. When Armstrong took the helm in 1990, his vast knowledge of music and his ability to articulate a vision to singers and audiences alike took the St. Olaf Choir to the next level, adding more flavor to its signature sound and further expanding its repertoire to include music of the Pacific Rim, Africa, and Latin America. Under Armstrong’s leadership, the choir continues to expand its touring horizons, engaging capacity audiences in major concert halls throughout the United States and worldwide. The ensemble has toured internationally 15 times. Most recently, in June 2019, the St. Olaf Choir toured Norway for two weeks with the St. Olaf Orchestra.

Dr. Anton Armstrong, Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, became the fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University. He is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Publishers. In June 1998, he began his tenure as founding conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy.  In January 2006, Baylor University selected Anton Armstrong from a field of 118 distinguished nominees to receive the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching and spent February–June 2007 in residency at Baylor University as a visiting professor. In October 2009, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University. In June 2013, Dr. Armstrong received the Saltzman Award from the Oregon Bach Festival. The festival’s highest honor, the Saltzman Award is bestowed upon individuals who have provided exceptional levels of leadership to the organization. Dr. Armstrong is a highly sought-after clinician and guest conductor, and works with many of the world’s most prestigious organizations and ensembles.

Amici de Lumine

Established in October 2010 by Maestro Michaelangelo Cloete in his final post-graduate year at the South African College of Music (SACM at UCT), the long-standing choir embraces members from all walks of life. From inception, the focus has been on rehearsing and performing sacred choral music with an emphasis on debuting the works of young composers, often from SACM’s composition department. Maestro Michaelangelo embraces diverse voices and skill sets as he uplifts and trains the individual members evoking a haunting, ethereal choral sound created through expertly blending vocal timbres. Emulating Amici de Lumine, Italian for Friends of the Light, he and his choir strive to bring light to all through the experience of their performances. Although the initial vision of the choir has changed over the years, becoming a non-profit organisation aiming to educate and inspire those who were unable to afford music or vocal tuition, the resonating voices have become a trademark of the choir.

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