Concert planned to celebrate National Lutheran School Week

In celebration of National Lutheran School Week, March 2 to 8, Saxony Lutheran High School and The Concordia University Kapelle, under the direction of professor Charles P. Brown, will perform a concert at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, March 8 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.

The choir will perform selections from the music of Morten Lauridsen, Anton Bruckner, W.A. Mozart, Randall Thompson, L.L. Flemming, William Dawson, Moses Hogan, Robert Shaw and Richard Hillert.

Local school children and area adult choirs will join Kapelle for a portion of the program.

Cape Girardeau is the last stop for the Kapelle on a 10-day spring tour of Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri.

A free will offering will be gathered to benefit the new campus project of Saxony Lutheran High School. Saxony Lutheran School, in its third academic year, plans to build a new campus on 40 acres of land at the southeast corner of the Fruitland exit off Interstate 55 in Jackson. Saxony Lutheran School has an enrollment of 30 students in grades nine to 12.

Premiere ensemble

The Concordia University Kapelle is the premiere choral ensemble of the university. Chosen by audition, approximately 50 singers prepare a variety of music for local and national audiences.

At Christmas, the Kapelle presents a service of lessons and carols. Each spring the choir embarks on a 10-day tour taking them to all regions of the United States and an around-the-world tour.

The ensemble consists of music majors and students who specialize in other disciplines.

In May, the Kapelle will tour Finland, Russia and the Baltic states.

Professor Charles Brown, conductor, music educator and vocal performer, holds a bachelor of music and master of music degree in choral conducting and music education from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where he studied conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt.

Most recently, Brown has directed the choral program at Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown, Penn. There he led an award-winning, nationally recognized choral program of over 200 voices.

His versatility has enabled him to build successful choral programs of all age levels in both schools and churches.

In addition to his roles in conducting and education, Brown is active as a professional solist and is a former member of Fuma Sacra, one of the East Coast's premiere early music ensembles.

He has been an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.