Augustana College

The Augustana College Department of Music presented Christmas at Augustana on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8, 2024. More than 200 student musicians took the stage to share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad-Cities holiday season. Presented by Quad City Bank & Trust, Christmas at Augustana has thrilled audiences since 2008. The performance features the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Ascension Ringers, Augustana Choir, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and Augustana Concert Chorale.

Augustana College student members of the Augustana Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra performed a fall concert Oct. 12 at Centennial Hall.

Matthew Chezum '25, from New Windsor, Ill., won the Student Audience Choice Eddy Award in the 2024 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival (CRIFF), held April 5-7, for his short film "S'mores."

More than 25 Augutsana College students participated Augustana's OperX performance of 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' on Feb. 17 in the Brunner Theatre. OperX vocalists work with instrumentalists, composers, chamber orchestra and other singers to create dynamic performances that combine their diverse energies and talents. "Amahl and the Night Visitors" is a touching one-act opera commissioned for television in 1951. Composer Gian Carlo Menotti felt inspired to write a work that recaptured his childhood and wrote the piece to be kid-friendly. The opera tells the story of Amahl, a boy with a disability who meets the Three Kings on their way to meet the Christ child.

More than 50 Augustana College students will perform in the Augustana Choir California tour from March 21 to March 24. The choir will perform at five Southern California churches, followed by a home concert on April 6 in Davenport.

Fifty Augustana College students performed in the Augustana Symphonic Band's annual tour. This year's tour featured five performances in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas from March 22 to April 6. Conducted by Dr. James Lambrecht, the wind ensemble shared music in churches, performing arts centers and high schools across the Midwest.

More than 45 Augustana College students participated in the annual celebration of the Festival of Sankta Lucia on Dec. 4 at the college's Ascension Chapel.

The Augustana College Department of Music presented Christmas at Augustana on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 2023. More than 200 student musicians took the stage to share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad-Cities holiday season. Presented by Quad City Bank & Trust, Christmas at Augustana has thrilled audiences since 2008. The performance features the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Ascension Ringers, Augustana Choir, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and Augustana Concert Chorale.

More than 25 Augutsana College students worked on Quad Cities regional premier of "Dracula," Oct. 12-15, directed by Dr. Jennifer Popple, associate professor of theatre arts and co-chair of the theatre department. "Dracula" was presented at the Brunner Theatre Center Main Stage.

More than 35 Augutsana College students worked on the production of the area premiere of "Nine," Nov. 16-19, directed by Shelley Cooper, associate professor of theatre arts. "Nine" is presented at the Brunner Theatre Center Main Stage.

A dozen Augustana College seniors are exhibiting their work at Wallenberg Hall at the Rock Island campus as part of the annual senior inquiry art show.

Augustana College junior Jimmy Vercoe, a geology major from Carol Stream, Ill., is the grand prize winner for the 2022-2023 Augie Abroad photo contest.

The Augustana Opera program will perform "Amahl and the Night Visitors" on April 21 and 23 in the Brunner Theatre at Augustana College. The performance will be directed by Dr. Patrick McNally, assistant professor of music and director of opera.

The Augustana Oratorio Society, Augustana Choir, Augustana Choral Artists and Augustana Symphony Orchestra are joining together to perform Maurice Durufle's "Requiem, Op. 9" and other choral works. The performance is May 7 at 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island.

Augustana's Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Michael Zemek, will embark on a performance tour April 14-16 in Missouri and Iowa. They will also perform selections from their tour on April 29 on campus.

Augustana's Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Michael Zemek will embark on a performance tour April 14-16 in Missouri and Iowa.

The Augustana Symphonic Band, under the direction of Dr. James Lambrecht, will perform concerts in Japan in March and April, 2023.

The Augustana Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jon Hurty, will perform concerts in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa in March and April 2023. The 52-voice ensemble will sing a selection of traditional and contemporary choral works. The choir is known for its innovative programming, attention to detail, and musical excellence.

Augustana College junior John Flannery, of Washington, performed a piano recital at the Denkmann Memorial Building's Wallenberg Hall on March 4.

Augustana College students enrolled in the nature photography class taught by biology professor Dr. Stephen Hager exhibited their work on campus Jan. 31.

Augustana's theatre department continues its season with Small Mouth Sounds, presented March 16-19.

Augustana College students Emma Pilmer, soprano, and Colin Claytor, tenor, presented a senior voice recital Nov. 12 at the Hamann Concert Hall at the Rock Island campus. Pilmer is a vocal music education major from Aurora, Ill. Calytor is a vocal music education major from Arlington Heights, Ill.

The Augustana College Department of Music presents Christmas at Augustana on December 3 and 4, 2022. More than 200 student musicians will take the stage to share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad-Cities holiday season. Presented by Quad City Bank & Trust, Christmas at Augustana has thrilled audiences since 2008. The performance features the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Ascension Ringers, Augustana Choir, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and Augustana Concert Chorale.

Augustana College students will perform "Cabaret" November 17-20, 2022. Several principal roles are double cast and will be performed by different actors on different nights. This was to accommodate the growth of the college's music theatre department and gives a chance for more students to shine on stage.

Rock Island, Illinois -- The Augustana College Department of Music presents Christmas at Augustana, December 4 and 5, 2021 in Centennial Hall. Presented by Quad City Bank & Trust, Christmas at Augustana is returning live after a one-year hiatus. Christmas at Augustana has thrilled audiences in sold-out performances for over a decade. Student musicians will take the stage to share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad-Cities holiday season. Featuring performances by the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Ascension Ringers, Augustana Choir, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and Augustana Concert Chorale. This holiday concert is not to be missed.

The Augustana Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jon Hurty, will perform in Germany and the Czech Republic during a tour May 24-June 7. The choir has six musical engagements during the tour, most at historic churches such as the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany, which is associated with several well-known composers such as Wagner, Mendelssohn and Bach, who is interred there. The group also will tour Schloss Sanssouci in Potsdam, the Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig, the Terezin concentration camp and memorial, Prague Castle and Karlstejn Castle.

Augustana College Theatre Arts Department will present The Three Musketeers by Ken Ludwig, adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas in the Brunner Mainstage Theatre Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 1:30 p.m. The cast includes Augustana students James Wheeler '22, Tristan Odenkirk '21, and Jarod Kovach '22 as the three musketeers, Elise Campbell '19 as Sabine, and Peter Alfano '21 as D'Artagnan, and MJ Mason '19 as Milady.

A student committee, including Augustana students Jessamine Burch, Lauren Clapp, Sydney Gilbert, Ashley Martin, and Elise Morgan, has curated an exhibit entitled, "Moments." The exhibit features the work of local artisits attempting to capture the artful moments of everyday life. The Augustana Teaching Museum of Art has partnered with the Silvis Public Library to display this student-curated exhibit from the museum's collection.

For the first time in its history, the Augustana Symphony Orchestra will take its act on the road, performing concerts in the Chicago area Nov. 3 and 4. "Both the band and choir programs here have a long history of touring," said Dr. Daniel Chetel, an assistant professor of music and Augustana's director of orchestral activities. "There's a really strong touring history going back 50, 60, 70 years, and I'm excited for the orchestra to join in on that." The orchestra's first tour also is an opportunity to share its work with Chicago-area prospective students and families, and with alumni. The first tour concert at Messiah Lutheran Church in Wauconda will be a joint performance with the Lake Zurich High School Orchestra and Palatine High School Orchestra - both of whose directors are Augustana alumni: Nathan Sackschewsky '06 at Lake Zurich, and Dung Pham '94 at Palatine. During the day, the Augustana Symphony Orchestra will work with the high school programs before all three combine for the evening's performance.

Six Augustana students are featured this year in the ninth annual College Invitational at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport. Their work can be viewed through Jan. 7.