Spring Jazzfest and Handbell Concert finish out the musical season

Seward, NE (04/15/2019) — Concordia University, Nebraska's Spring Jazzfest will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Hillcrest Evangelical Free Church in Seward.

The Concordia Jazz Ensemble will perform big band charts from the 1930s and 40s, including "In the Mood" and "A String of Pearls" by the Glenn Miller Orchestra and "Roll 'Em" by Benny Goodman, to name a few. The Vocal Jazz Choir will also be performing a few pieces, including the Toto classic, "Rosanna" and "The Song of Purple Summer" from Steven Sater's and Duncan Sheik's musical Spring Awakening.

"Our attention has been on music that was prevalent and popular during World War II," said Dr. Andrew Schultz, director of the Jazz Ensemble. "This stems from the concert event that we did in February at the Nebraska National Guard Museum as an opportunity to help with their fundraising efforts for a World War II exhibit that's currently being installed. The band has continued their exploration of that music since then and are excited to play these tunes."

The Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, in the Music Center's Recital Hall on Concordia's campus.

The program will feature a variety of original works for handbell choirs, as well as sacred pieces that focus on Lent and Easter themes. Some of the pieces featured will be "All Creatures of Our God," "The Morning Trumpet," "Beautiful Savior," "Ash Grove," "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" and "I'm Just a Poor Wayfaring Stranger."

"The ringers of Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II have had an exciting year of concerts, workshops, a performance at the State Capitol, an appearance on NET's Friday Live Radio Program, as well as serving in several worship and chapel services," said professor Jessica Kite, Handbell Choir director. "2019 marks the 40th anniversary of Concordia's first Handbell Choir, and our spring concert gives us a stage to celebrate the many ways God has blessed Concordia University's Handbell Program. We encourage audience members of all ages to try ringing a bell or chime after the concert!"

Members of the Vocal Jazz Choir include (in alphabetical order by state, city, last name):

Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill., bass

Alex Kaldahl, junior, Spencer, Iowa, bass

Austin Theriot, senior, Lake Charles, La., bass

Sarah Mueller, senior, Hemlock, Mich., alto

Brooke Ann Duerr, freshman, Warren, Mich., alto

Zachary Mueller, freshman, Frankenmuth, Minn., tenor

Vanessa Marsh, senior, Concordia, Mo., soprano

Megan Kroeker, sophomore, Henderson, Neb., soprano

Shanda Fujan, sophomore, Oakland, Neb., soprano

Avery Kesar, junior, Omaha, Neb., bass

Christian Watters, sophomore, Panama, Neb., tenor

Noah Freeman, sophomore, Bend, Ore., tenor

Nicholle Harstad, freshman, Norfolk, Neb., alto

Members of the Jazz Ensemble include:

David Krueger, senior, Aurora, Colo., tenor saxophone

Gabriel Jofre, junior, Sterling, Colo., alto saxophone

Valery Rostek, junior, Norton, Kan., tenor saxophone

Matthew Goltl, junior, Wichita, Kan., percussion

Jonathan Grant, senior, Waterloo, Ill., trumpet

Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, New Haven, Ind., baritone saxophone

Joshua Smith, junior, Earlham, Iowa, piano

Zachary Mueller, freshman, Frankenmuth, Mich., trombone and bass

Sarah Armbrust, freshman, Ballwin, Mo., percussion

Rebekah Henschen, freshman, Bancroft, Neb., trombone

Jacob Mikkelson, junior, Bellevue, Neb., keyboard and bass

Lukas Sollberger, sophomore, Louisville, Neb., trumpet

Thomas Johnson, senior, Omaha, Neb., alto saxophone and clarinet

Rose Nigh, freshman, Omaha, Neb., tenor saxophone

Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet

Dalton Berry, sophomore, Seward, Neb., trumpet

Nolan Homp, sophomore, Seward, Neb., trombone

Shiloh Richters, sophomore, Utica, Neb., trumpet

Erik Fuerniss, freshman, Delmont, S.D., trombone

Sarah Benz, sophomore, Campbellsport, Wis., alto saxophone

Members of the Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II include:

Sophie Thorsen, senior, Huntsville, Ala., Handbell Choir II

Breann Huber, junior, Arvada, Colo., Handbell Choir

Erin Johnson, sophomore, Brighton, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Joanna Sherrill, freshman, Lakewood, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Kylee Taylor, freshman, Westminster, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill., Handbell Choir

Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, New Haven, Ind., Handbell Choir

Whitney Pottschmidt, junior, Seymour, Ind., Handbell Choir

Nathan Leonard, freshman, Topeka, Kan., Handbell Choir II

Nathan Johnson, freshman, Vicksburg, Mich., Handbell Choir II

Whitney Borchardt, senior, Henning, Minn., Handbell Choir II

Parker Esterberg, freshman, Independence, Minn., Handbell Choir II

Charlotte Lines, sophomore, Marshall, Mo., Handbell Choir

Linnea Buchholz, sophomore, St. Charles, Mo., Handbell Choir II

Emily Thies, sophomore, St. Louis, Mo., Handbell Choir

Allison Mackie, senior, Columbus, Neb., Handbell Choir

Zachary Staehr, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Handbell Choir

Emily Wiese, freshman, Holdrege, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Aaron Ferguson, junior, Hyannis, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Stephanie Barry, junior, Omaha, Neb., Handbell Choir

Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., Handbell Choir

Jessica Berg, freshman, Brandon, S.D., Handbell Choir II

Timothy Rasch, senior, Denton, Texas, Handbell Choir

Melinda Buhler, senior, Fort Worth, Texas, Handbell Choir II

Rachel Dorn, senior, Houston, Texas, Handbell Choir

Cristina Sanchez, sophomore, La Grange, Texas, Handbell Choir II

Aaron Jackson, sophomore, Palestine, Texas, Handbell Choir

Victoria Cameron, junior, Kent, Wash., Handbell Choir

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