Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia A Cappella Choir to embark on Spring 2026 Tour

Seward, NE (02/09/2026) — Concordia University, Nebraska's internationally acclaimed A Cappella Choir will travel throughout Wyoming, California, Nevada and Colorado on their spring 2026 tour from March 5-15.

The A Cappella Choir has toured locally, nationally and internationally. The group also performs at school assemblies and participates in Sunday worship services and Concordia chapel services. Their repertoire for this tour includes a new composition by Benjamin Culli titled "Gratia Illuminat" for a cappella choir as well as Kyle Pederson's a cappella dual choir setting of "Awake! Arise!" and an English translation of the fourth movement of Johannes Brahms' Requiem, "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place" for choir and reduced piano score.

The choir will also perform "Find the River Flowing On", a new piece arranged by David von Kampen with lyrics by Andrea von Kampen. The piece was premiered at the university's 2025 fall Honor Choir Day.

The choir is directed by Dr. Kurt von Kampen, Concordia music department chair and professor of music. Von Kampen earned a bachelor's degree in music from Concordia University, Nebraska, a master's degree in choral conducting from Oakland University and a doctorate in choral music education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Professor of music and renowned pianist Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo will tour and perform with the choir. She holds a degree in music education from Concordia University Chicago and two graduate degrees in piano performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Admission to the concerts is free. Free-will offerings will be collected at each concert to help defray the tour costs.

Tour Itinerary

Thursday, March 5

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Concert 7 p.m.

Friday, March 6

Grace Lutheran Church, Sandy, Utah

Concert 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 7

Faith Lutheran Church, Fair Oaks, California

Concert 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 8

Faith Lutheran Church, Fair Oaks, California

Worship 9:30 a.m.

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Livermore, California

Concert 4 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Lodi, California

Assembly 2 p.m.

Concert 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 11

Bethany Lutheran Church, Long Beach, California

Concert 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 12

Linfield Christian School, Temecula, California

Assembly 9:25 a.m.

Faith Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada

Concert 7 p.m.

Friday, March 13

Lutheran Church and School of Messiah, Grand Junction, Colorado

Concert 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 4

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado

Concert 4 p.m.

Sunday, March 14

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado

Worship 8 a.m.

Ascension Lutheran Church, Littleton, Colorado

Worship 10:30 a.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado

Concert 4 p.m.

Sunday, March 22

Lincoln, Nebraska (TBD)

Home Concert 3 p.m.

St. John Lutheran Church, Seward, Nebraska

Home Concert, 7 p.m.

Students in the A Cappella Choir include:

Soprano I

Sophia Ball, Junior, Worden, Illinois, B.S. Education (Secondary) English Language Arts, LTD

Brianna Burns, Sophomore, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, B.A. Theology (Pre-Deaconess)

Lydia Edmonds, Sophomore, Gretna, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary), Music Minor

Michaela Gibbs, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.A. Music (Vocal Performance), B.A. Journalism and Public Relations, Spanish Minor

Sophia Matthias, Freshman, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (K-12 Art)

Eden Perling, Freshman, St. Robert, Missouri, B.S. Education (Secondary), History, English, LTD

Soprano II

Hadleigh Collison, Freshman, Pierce, Nebraska, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Bethany Gebhardt, Senior, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD

Kailyn King, Junior, Daykin, Nebraska, B.S. Science Education (Secondary) Agricultural Education, LTD

Brianna Pike, Senior, Vassar, Michigan, B.S. Education (Middle), LTD, DCE

Megan Tiedje, Junior, Milford, Michigan, B.A. DCE and Theology, Adult Ministry Minor

Danielle Turner, Sophomore, Derby, Kansas, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD, B.A. DCE

Samantha Vogel, Freshman, Cleveland, Ohio, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Alto I

Amy Crow, Junior, Wichita, Kansas, B.S. Education (Elementary) Early Childhood, ESL

Sophia Donovan, Sophomore, Lincoln, Nebraska, B.A. DCE and Theology

Averil Finnern, Freshman, Sartell, Minnesota, B.A. Communications and Spanish, Marketing Minor

Miriam Ganoung, Senior, Halsey, Nebraska, B.A. Environmental Science, Music Minor

Reagan Martens, Junior, Kansas City, Missouri, B.S. Education (Elementary), LTD

Evelyn Rouland, Freshman, St. Charles, Missouri, B.S. Education (Secondary), English, LTD

Alina Sankey, Junior, Hayes Center, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD, Early Childhood

Johanna Speckhard, Freshman, Munster, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD

Naomi Weber, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Alto II

Bailey Bianco, Junior, Loveland, Colorado, B.Mus. Psychology

Brooke Carter, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD

Emily Castens, Sophomore, New Haven, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Grace Donnelly, Senior, Three Forks, Montana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Aria Ferguson, Freshman, Raymond, Nebraska, B.S. Biology (Pre-Radiology Technician)

Emily Lindau, Freshman, Omaha, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) History, Theology, LTD

Melissa Oblinger, Sophomore, Tomball, Texas, B.S. Education (Elementary) Music Concentration, LTD

Madalyn Perkins, Freshman, Springfield, Illinois, B.S. Education (Elementary), DCE, LTD

Tara Pester, Junior, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Middle Level) LTD

Morgan Rohde, Junior, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Elementary) LTD, Music Concentration

Rebecca Tredray, Sophomore, Robbinsdale, Minnesota, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Tenor I

Maximus Fritsche, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.A. Music, Strategic Communications

Timothy Mars, Senior, Cody, Wyoming, B.Mus. Church Music

Yaphet Michael, Sophomore, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Wyatt Swanson, Senior, Staplehurst, Nebraska, B.S. Marketing

Jonathan Thurk, Freshman, Glendale, Arizona, B.A. History, Pre-Seminary

Aydan Toth, Freshman, Surprise, Arizona, B.S. Biology, Pre-Medical

Micah Zeckzer, Sophomore, New Haven, Indiana, B.S. Exercise Science

Tenor II

Timothy Baker, Junior, Khovd, Mongolia, B.A. Music, Art Minor

Jason Church, Junior, Auburn, Washington, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts, Music Minor (Pre-Seminary)

David Eatherton, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Matthew Guilford, Senior, Lincoln, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary), History and Theology, ESL

Jonathan Jurchen, Sophomore, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) Spanish

Dylan Parker, Senior, Fairfax, Virginia, B.A. Music

Jacob Speckhard, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Elementary), Music Minor, LTD

Tyler Velkly, Junior, Lititz, Pennsylvania, B.Mus. Church Music, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Bass I

Simeon Armbrecht, Sophomore, Williamsburg, Iowa, B.Mus. Church Music, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts (Pre-Seminary)

Jonathan Baumann, Junior, Chester, South Dakota, B.Mus. Music Education, LTD

Matthew Feusse, Senior, Saginaw, Michigan, B.A. Music

Matthew Frerking, Sophomore, Columbia, Missouri, B.Mus. Church Music, B.Mus. Music Education

Deagan Jones, Sophomore, Bunker Hill, Illinois, B.Mus. Church Music

Sam Matthias, Senior, Seward, Nebraska, B.F.A. Graphic Design

Evan Moloney, Junior, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) History and Theology

Karsten Quinton, Junior, Pearland, Texas, B.S. Education (K-12) Physical Education and Theology, LTD

Hunter Remington, Senior, Bristow, Oklahoma, B.A. Music, Pre-Seminary

Kaleb Virus, Junior, Concordia, Missouri, B.S. Accounting

Yeabsira Yidnekachew, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.Mus. Music Education

Bass II

Taylor Beal, Junior, Frisco, Texas, B.A. Music, Composition Concentration

Mark Bultemeier, Sophomore, Texarkana, Texas, B.A. Theology, Pre-Seminary

Sean Duffy, Junior, Kenesaw, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD

Lars Gindler, Senior, Collinsville, Illinois, B.A. Classical Liberal Arts, CLTD, Church Music Minor, Pre-Seminary

Jack Habegger, Freshman, Fort Wayne, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD

Timothy Pester, Freshman, Seward, Nebraska, B.S. Education (Secondary) Science, LTD

Grant Rhode, Senior, Reed City, Michigan, B.S. Education (Secondary) Math, LTD

Joel Smith, Senior, Earlham, Iowa, B.A. Criminal Justice

Robert Wagner, Junior, Elizabeth, Colorado, B.S. Education (Secondary) Math, LTD

Cole Yunker, Sophomore, Newburgh, Indiana, B.S. Education (Secondary) English, LTD, Biblical Languages Minor

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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