Christmas spirit fills the air during 2024 Christmas at Concordia events

by Hope Nelson

Seward, NE (12/09/2024) — The 2024 Christmas at Concordia weekend took place from December 6-8 and included four concerts and a Christmas buffet.

Preceding these events was a Christmas tree lighting open to the public on Wednesday, November 20, at 7 p.m. The event took place outside of Concordia's Weller Hall and featured caroling led by Concordia's Chamber Choir, refreshments and holiday fellowship.

Across the four Christmas at Concordia weekend concerts, more than 3,000 community members, faculty and staff, and Concordia students and family members gathered at St. John Lutheran Church for music presented by Concordia's Cantamus Women's Choir, Male Chorus, Handbell Choir, Wind Symphony and A Cappella Choir.

The program included Scripture readings as well as choral and instrumental music. The congregation listened to pieces like Gustav Holst's "In the Bleak Midwinter" and Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" and had the opportunity to join in on selected verses of traditional hymns like "A Great and Mighty Wonder" and "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending."

On Saturday, December 7, Concordia hosted a Christmas buffet that preceded the evening's 7 p.m. concert. The meal was held in the Cattle Conference Room and featured live music from Concordia's String Ensemble along with a full menu of traditional holiday foods.

Members of the Cantamus Women's Choir, conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, include (in alphabetical order by state, city, then last name):

Madeline Hudson-Knowlton, junior, Kenai, Alaska, Soprano II

Ella Gilzean, senior, Placerville, Calif., Soprano II

Julia Hitz, sophomore, Mackinaw, Ill., Soprano I

Grace Drews, sophomore, Tremont, Ill., Alto II

Anna Maxson, junior, Fort Wayne, Ind., Alto I

Isabella Peperkorn, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind., Soprano II

Emma Von Kampen, freshman, Atkins, Iowa, Soprano II

Autumn Consier, sophomore, Churdan, Iowa, Alto I

Gretchen Hoft, freshman, Eldridge, Iowa, Soprano II

Danielle Turner, freshman, Derby, Kan., Soprano I

Rachel Postier, junior, Newton, Kan., Soprano II

Lydia Fink, freshman, Olathe, Kan., Soprano I

Brianna Burns, freshman, Baton Rouge, La., Soprano I

Mackenzie Schepmann, freshman, Macomb, Mich., Alto I

Katherine Seifferlein, freshman, St. Johns, Mich., Soprano II

Emma VanTol, junior, Unionville, Mich., Alto I

Hannah Ethridge, junior, Fulda, Minn., Soprano I

Naomi Mueller, freshman, Lewiston, Minn., Alto II

Cadison Hecksel, freshman, Mankato, Minn., Soprano II

Emma Borgschatz, senior, Plainview, Minn., Soprano II

Rachel Brinkman, junior, Plymouth, Minn., Soprano I

Kyla Schleusener, junior, St. Paul, Minn., Soprano I

Malia Schleusener, freshman, St. Paul, Minn., Alto I

Hannah Federwitz, freshman, Concordia, Mo., Soprano II

Abigail Constien, sophomore, Farmington, Mo., Alto I

Sofie Stiller, freshman, Ferguson, Mo., Alto I

Olivia Craig, sophomore, Kansas City, Mo., Alto I

Ella Brandt, sophomore, Knob Noster, Mo., Alto II

Alison Galchutt, sophomore, O'Fallon, Mo., Alto II

Carrie Meyr, junior, St. Louis, Mo., Soprano II

Olivia Nafzger, sophomore, St. Louis, Mo., Alto II

Logann Edinger, junior, Wentzville, Mo., Soprano I

Julia Baker, senior, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Alto II

Abby Hemenway, junior, Clearwater, Neb., Soprano II

Trista Hemenway, junior, Clearwater, Neb., Alto I

Megan Welch, junior, Columbus, Neb., Alto I

Delaney Baker, junior, Lincoln, Neb., Soprano II

Sarah Stepp, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., Alto II

Rachel Rathjen, sophomore, Marquette, Neb., Soprano II

Jolie Dittman, freshman, Omaha, Neb., Alto I

Claire Horacek, sophomore, Papillion, Neb., Alto II

Shasta Tonniges, junior, York, Neb., Alto II

Ellen Klintworth, sophomore, Seward, Neb., Alto II

Emma Wakley, sophomore, Milton, N.Y., Alto II

Marieka Kaufman, sophomore, Milwaukie, Or., Soprano I

Olivia Wieczorek, freshman, Warsaw, Poland, Soprano II

Emma Williamson, sophomore, Franklin, Tenn., Alto I

Grace Marshall, sophomore, Greeneville, Tenn., Soprano I

Vivian Marshall, freshman, Greeneville, Tenn., Soprano I

Michal Black, freshman, Amarillo, Tex., Alto I

Rachel Ada, junior, DeSoto, Tex., Alto I

Rachel VonDeylen, freshman, Friendswood, Tex., Soprano II

Elizabeth Crawford, freshman, Plano, Tex., Alto I

Emma Shane, senior, Bloomington, Wis., Alto I

Members of the Male Chorus, conducted by Paul Soulek, include:

Harvey Walter, sophomore, Fort Morgan, Colo., Tenor II

Chipper Banks, freshman, Loveland, Colo., Tenor I

Deagan Jones, freshman, Bunker Hill, Ill., Bass I

Richard Peperkorn, freshman, Fort Wayne, Ind., Bass II

Andrew Castens, sophomore, New Haven, Ind., Bass I

Timothy Dose, sophomore, Algona, Iowa, Bass I

Jalen Buls, freshman, Ankeny, Iowa, Tenor II

Creighton Urban, freshman, Callender, Iowa, Bass I

Ethan L'Heureux, sophomore, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Bass I

Keller Wilson, freshman, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Tenor II

Samuel Olson, freshman, Overland Park, Kan., Bass I

Will Ebel, freshman, Salina, Kan., Bass I

Noah Taylor, freshman, Wichita, Kan., Tenor II

Everett Scarbrough, freshman, Carsonville, Mich., Bass I

Caleb Ethridge, freshman, Fulda, Minn., Bass I

TJ Jerrell, freshman, Desloge, Mo., Tenor II

Jack Hagan, junior, St. Charles, Mo., Bass I

Jacob Deines, junior, Wentzville, Mo., Bass II

Matthew Koenig, junior, Kalispell, Mont., Bass II

Andrew Ring, sophomore, Bismarck, N.D., Tenor I

Kai Olbrich, sophomore, Bennington, Neb., Bass I

William Voelker, freshman, Columbus, Neb., Bass I

Joshua Nikodym, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Tenor I

Robert Schmidt, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., Tenor II

Andrew Brosius, sophomore, North Platte, Neb., Tenor I

Gage Olsen, freshman, Plattsmouth, Neb., Bass II

Duncan Carrasco, freshman, Sidney, Neb., Tenor II

Dalton Lee, sophomore, Bartlesville, Okla., Tenor I

Jacob Wald, freshman, Sioux Falls, S.D., Tenor I

Vaclav Fiala, freshman, Zillina, Slovakia, Bass II

Ernest Clausing, junior, Moshi, Tanzania, Tenor II

Jack Nunnink, freshman, Maryville, Tenn., Tenor II

Timothy Meyer, freshman, Lexington, Texas, Bass II

Nathan Mahrt, freshman, Lucas, Texas, Bass I

Members of the Concordia Handbell Choir, conducted by Jessica Kite, include:

Bailey Bianco, sophomore, Loveland, Colo.

Brianna Bianco, senior, Loveland, Colo.

Sadie Henson, senior, Herrin, Ill.

Isabella Peperkorn, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Amy Crow, sophomore, Wichita, Kan.

Matthew Feusse, senior, Saginaw, Mich.

Rachel Brinkman, junior, Plymouth, Minn.

Logan Walgate, senior, St. Charles, Mo.

Logann Edinger, junior, Wentzville, Mo.

Grace Donnelly, junior, Three Forks, Mont.

Miriam Ganoung, junior, Halsey, Neb.

Tyler Velkly, sophomore, Lititz, Penn.

Ethan Gillespie, senior, Random Lake, Wis.

Timothy Mars, senior, Cody, Wyo.

Members of the University Wind Symphony, conducted by Robert Cody, include:

Joshua Meyer, sophomore, Longmont, Colo., trombone

Bailey Bianco, sophomore, Loveland, Colo., clarinet

Evelyn Schwartz, freshman, Peachtree City, Ga., flute

Arabella Blakeley, junior, Havana, Ill., clarinet

Sadie Henson, senior, Herrin, Ill., flute

Isabella Schmid, senior, Rockford, Ill., bass clarinet

Emily Castens, freshman, New Haven, Ind., trumpet

Emma VonKampen, freshman, Atkins, Iowa, flute

Creighton Urban, freshman, Callender, Iowa, horn

Autumn Consier, sophomore, Churdan, Iowa, alto saxophone

Micah Travis, freshman, Sioux City, Iowa, euphonium

Danielle Turner, freshman, Derby, Kan., flute

Taylor Rogers, sophomore, Plainville, Kan., tenor saxophone

Taylor Beal, sophomore, Wichita, Kan., trumpet

Nathan Feusse, junior, Saginaw, Mich., horn

Thomas Zimmerman, sophomore, Apple Valley, Minn., clarinet

Hannah Ethridge, junior, Fulda, Minn., bass clarinet

Rebecca Tredray, freshman, Minneapolis, Minn., percussion

Matthew Frerking, freshman, Columbia, Mo., tuba

Elizabeth Salo, freshman, Palmyra, Mo., horn

Logan Walgate, senior, St. Charles, Mo., baritone saxophone

Aaron Wulff, junior, St. Charles, Mo., percussion

David Eatherton, freshman, St. Louis, Mo., trombone

Jacob Laesch, freshman, St. Louis, Mo., euphonium

Grace Donnelly, junior, Three Forks, Mont., alto saxophone

Abby Kandt, senior, Wake Forest, N.C., flute

Katheryn Rice, senior, Bellevue, Neb., clarinet

Megan Welch, junior, Columbus, Neb., alto saxophone

Miriam Ganoung, junior, Halsey, Neb., trombone

Jackson Munter, senior, Ithaca, Neb., trombone

Sydney Rohwer, sophomore, Kearney, Neb., clarinet

Matthew Guilford, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., trombone

Nathan Sollberger, sophomore, Louisville, Neb., alto saxophone

Maxwell Carlson, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb., trombone

Abbey Kudrna, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., trumpet

Ellie Lehr, junior, Omaha, Neb., clarinet

Joshua Jurchen, junior, Seward, Neb., bassoon

Ellen Klintworth, sophomore, Seward, Neb., euphonium

Bailey Hidy, sophomore, Trenton, Neb., trumpet

Psalm Richters, senior, Utica, Neb., flute

Benjamin Sams, freshman, Utica, Neb., tuba

Aleksa Chambers, sophomore, Wilber, Neb., percussion

Shasta Tonniges, junior, York, Neb., percussion

Samuel Dunbar, senior, Lambertville, N.J., trumpet

Jacob Huber, PB, Canton, S.D., alto saxophone

Maddy Peters, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D., trumpet

Colin Thuringer, senior, Sioux Falls, S.D., tuba

Jacob Wald, freshman, Sioux Falls, S.D., percussion

Faith Brackney, freshman, Allen, Tex., flute

Mitchell Stephens, freshman, Houston, Tex., trumpet

Jonah Carter, sophomore, McKinney, Tex., tenor saxophone

Walker Ranada, senior, McKinney, Tex., oboe

Michaela Gibbs, freshman, Virginia Beach, Va., trombone

Karalynn Pingel, sophomore, Janesville, Wis., flute

Ethan Gillespie, senior, Random Lake, Wis., percussion

Timothy Mars, senior, Cody, Wyo., percussion

Members of the University A Cappella Choir, conducted by Dr. Kurt von Kampen, include:

Christina Martinson, freshman, Bloomfield, Neb., Alto I

Eliya Moldenhauer, junior, Madison, Ala., Soprano II

Soren Widmann, junior, Long Beach, Calif., Bass II

Lillian Alwood, sophomore, Signal Hill, Calif., Soprano II

Robert Wagner, sophomore, Elizabeth, Colo., Bass II

Bailey Bianco, sophomore, Loveland, Colo., Alto II

Brianna Bianco, senior, Loveland, Colo., Alto II

Dylan Parker, junior, Auburndale, Fla., Tenor II

Naomi Faile, sophomore, Rome, Ga., Soprano I

Lars Gindler, freshman, Collinsville, Ill., Bass II

Sadie Henson, senior, Herrin, Ill., Alto I

Isabella Schmid, senior, Rockford, Ill., Soprano II

Sophia Ball, sophomore, Worden, Ill., Soprano I

Yaphet Michael, freshman, Fort Wayne, Ind., Tenor I

Evan Moloney, sophomore, Fort Wayne, Ind., Bass I

Morgan Rohde, sophomore, Fort Wayne, Ind., Alto II

Cole Yunker, freshman, Newburgh, Ind., Bass II

Emily Castens, freshman, New Haven, Ind., Alto II

Micah Zeckzer, freshman, New Haven, Ind., Tenor I

Joel Smith, junior, Earlham, Iowa, Bass II

Lydia Hoft, senior, Williamsburg, Iowa, Alto I

Carolyn Bromlow, sophomore, Eastborough, Kan., Soprano II

Taylor Rogers, sophomore, Plainville, Kan., Alto II

Taylor Beal, sophomore, Wichita, Kan., Bass II

Amy Crow, sophomore, Wichita, Kan., Alto I

Megan Tiedje, sophomore, Commerce Township, Mich., Soprano I

Grant Rohde, junior, Reed City, Mich., Bass II

Brianna Pike, junior, Vassar, Mich., Soprano II

Rebecca Tredray, freshman, Minneapolis, Minn., Alto II

Matthew Frerking, freshman, Columbia, Mo., Bass I

Reagan Martens, sophomore, Kansas City, Mo., Alto I

Logan Walgate, senior, St. Charles, Mo., Tenor I

Maximus Fritsche, freshman, St. Louis, Mo., Tenor I

Ryan Edinger, senior, Wentzville, Mo., Bass II

Timothy Baker, sophomore, Khovd, Mongolia, Tenor II

Grace Donnelly, junior, Three Forks, Mont., Alto II

Abby Kandt, senior, Wake Forest, N.C., Alto II

Kathryn Rice, senior, Bellevue, Neb., Soprano II

Matthew Feusse, senior, Clearwater, Neb., Bass I

Kailyn Paul, sophomore, Daykin, Neb., Soprano II

Gracin Hahn, sophomore, DeWitt, Neb., Tenor I

Lydia Edmonds, freshman, Gretna, Neb., Soprano I

Miriam Ganoung, junior, Halsey, Neb., Alto I

Jordan Head, sophomore, Hastings, Neb., Soprano I

Jackson Munter, senior, Ithaca, Neb., Tenor II

Sean Duffy, sophomore, Kenesaw, Neb., Bass II

Timothy Mars, senior, Kimball, Neb., Tenor I

Matthew Guilford, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., Tenor II

Caleb Schlichting, sophomore, Lyons, Neb., Bass II

Alina Sankey, sophomore, Maywood, Neb., Alto I

Ellie Lehr, junior, Omaha, Neb., Alto I

Ian Fiala, junior, Seward, Neb., Bass I

Bethany Gebhardt, junior, Seward, Neb., Soprano II

Kirsten Horne, senior, Seward, Neb., Soprano I

Jonathan Jurchen, freshman, Seward, Neb., Tenor II

Joshua Jurchen, junior, Seward, Neb., Bass II

Sam Matthias, junior, Seward, Neb., Bass I

Tara Pester, sophomore, Seward, Neb., Alto II

Wyatt Swanson, junior, Staplehurst, Neb., tenor I

Samuel Dunbar, senior, Lambertville, N.J., Tenor II

Hunter Remington, junior, Bristow, Okla., Bass I

Tyler Velkly, sophomore, Lititz, Pa., Tenor II

Jacob Huber, post-baccalaureate, Canton, S.Dak., Bass I

Jonathan Baumann, sophomore, Chester, S.Dak., Bass I

Colin Thuringer, senior, Sioux Falls, S.Dak., Bass II

Aaron Cumming, junior, Allen, Texas, Bass II

Meredith Boster, junior, Fulshear, Texas, Alto II

Karsten Quinton, sophomore, Pearland, Texas, Bass I

Melissa Oblinger, freshman, Tomball, Texas, Alto II

Michaela Gibbs, freshman, Virginia Beach, Va., Soprano I

Jason Church, sophomore, Auburn, Wash., Tenor II

Brooke Birdsong, sophomore, Cudahy, Wis., Alto I

Ethan Gillespie, senior, Random Lake, Wis., Bass I

David Eatherton, freshman, Sheboygan, Wis., Tenor II

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