THE CONCORDIAN VOL. 93, NO. 19 THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017 – MOORHEAD, MINN. THECONCORDIAN.ORG music ensembles prepare for DR. rené CLausen’s ‘The Passion of Jesus Christ’ BY EMILEE MOELLER our own experiences as well.” [email protected] Freshman Lindsay Schneider, “The Passion of Jesus Christ,” who sings in the Kantori choir, composed by Dr. Rene Clausen, echoed Steinke’s sentiment. music professor and choral conduc- “If anything, [Clausen as the tor, will have its world premiere composer] gives us better direc- April 8 and 9 in Minneapolis and tions, because it’s his vision. He Moorhead. Clausen wrote the work knows exactly what he wants from for the 500th anniversary of the it,” Schneider said. Reformation, and it will not disap- Steinke and Schneider both point, according to his students. agreed that one of their favorite as- Wyatt Steinke, a senior in the pects of the work, and what makes it Concordia Choir, said he felt “The unique, is Clausen’s use of layering Passion of Jesus Christ” is Clausen’s traditional hymns and soloists. writing at its best. “The men at one point are singing “You see a lot of his compositional ‘Go to Dark Gethsemane’,” Steinke style in it,” Steinke said. “[‘The Pas- said. “While the women are play- sion of Jesus Christ’ is] taking the ing the role of Peter, and saying ‘I best of some of his previous compo- will never deny you.’ So, there’s this sitions, and even going beyond that; beautiful choral underneath, but he’s introducing new ideas that I over the top, the women are intro- haven’t seen before in his other ducing dissonance. It throws the work. It’s a very drama-filled story, listener; they’ll hear this beauty in and I think Dr. Clausen does a great the story, while at the same time, job of presenting that in the music. there’s all this pain and suffering in- Right from the very beginning, it’s terspersed together.” big and powerful.” Kyle Stengel, a senior and the Steinke feels that, though pas- Concordia Choir president, felt that sions are a widely used, especially the main thing he wants the audi- during Holy Week, Clausen’s Pas- ence to walk away with is to under- she feels to be a part of this year’s sion, a narrative of the suffering stand the story. Holy Week celebration. and death of Jesus, is different from “I understand the story; you “I never would have imagined others he has heard. Many passions know, you hear the stories individu- I’d be part of something so big,” begin at the start of Holy Week, ally, and you hear them throughout Schneider said. “It’s been a great while Clausen’s starts at creation. Holy Week, and you know them,” experience working on it these past Clausen’s also presents other char- Stengel said. “But it’s not often you few weeks so far. It’s very powerful, acteristics not often heard in other get them in this hour-long chunk, I think; singing it, for me, is very passions. where you feel the mood and the powerful. There are moments when “It goes from very loud moments emotion set to music.” I almost want to start crying be- to very quiet moments, and every- According to Stengel, one of the cause it is so overwhelming to think thing in between,” Steinke said. most powerful strengths of the about.” “There’s different things that you’re piece is the music, which serves as Steinke stated that he feels the not used to hearing choirs sing that an amplifying tool while telling the Passion is an event that is worth at- may surprise you. There’s speaking, story. tending, whether you go to music there’s shouting, there’s whisper- Steinke wants audiences to walk events on campus regularly or not. ing. There’ll be a bunch of soloists.” away with the complexity of the “We do an oratorical performance The soloists will be a mix of facul- story of Holy Week, and that the every year, and every year it’s good ty, staff and students. “The Passion messages that are present, both and valuable to see, but this is really of Jesus Christ” will also feature po- the week and “The Passion of Jesus sort of the pinnacle of Concordia etry written by the religion depart- Christ”, aren’t just for Christians. music; this is Dr. Clausen at his fin- MADDIE MALAT ment’s Roy Hammerling. “Even as someone who’s not re- est,” Steinke said. “It tells a story that Students rehearse under the direction of René Clausen. Steinke explained that working un- ally a Christian, I find there’s so everyone kind of knows, but not ev- “It’s a lot of pressure to have to “The overall vibe [of The Passion] der Clausen, as the composer of the much to glean from the events of erybody has really been exposed to compose something of this magni- is love,” Steinke said. “Jesus’s love piece, has been an exciting and re- that week, looking at it from a his- it in this way. I really do think that’s tude.” Stengel said. “It’ll be really for humanity, and God’s love for the warding experience. torical perspective,” Steinke said. “I important for people to see. And the rewarding; for [Clausen], for us, for world. Through all these terrible “What I think is added, when he’s think Dr. Clausen does a great job music is just fantastic. There’s not a everyone. I want as many people to things, we remember why this is go- conducting his own piece, is [Clau- of putting all of those emotions to- moment in it that I don’t like; and I be there and to appreciate this thing ing on, and the story behind it. In sen] can tell personal stories about gether, tying it into context of Bibli- think that’s rare in a piece of music as possible. This is a great thing to rehearsals, especially, when we end it,” Steinke said. “He can say, defini- cal events, and what was being felt of this scale, throughout the entire have.” with the end of the piece, and we see tively, this is why a chord is where in those moments. I think [the au- piece to like every part of it. It keeps “The Passion of Jesus Christ” will that conclusion, you really feel at it is. It’s really quite a treat to be dience] should take away just how you engaged throughout the whole be performed on April 8, 7:30 p.m. the end that Jesus is alive and with able to spend this much time with complex the events are of that week, piece.” at the Orchestra Hall in Minneapo- you. So, I think that’d be the over- a major work, with the composer and just how meaningful it is.” Stengel explained that his appre- lis, Minn.; and on April 9, 7:00 p.m. arching vibe of The Passion, and of himself, because he shares those in- As a first-year student, Schneider ciation towards Clausen has deep- in the Memorial Auditorium on Holy Week: love and peace.” sights with us, and that adds a lot to explained the excitement and pride ened while working on the Passion. campus. post-grad plans: seniors to teach in china studies with a minor in wom- ing the characters. It’s like art en and gender studies, had to me.” previously traveled abroad Shelden, a triple major in on a May Seminar to South French, Chinese and Global Africa, London, and Amster- Studies, has planned to move dam. She was inspired to to China since freshman year. go abroad once more after Her study abroad experience a Concordia graduate who in China last year intensified took this internship spoke in her desire to return. Crane’s senior seminar class. “One of my main reasons “She said she learned a lot [to go to China] is to work on about herself and what she my Mandarin, my Chinese,” wanted to do,” Crane said. Shelden said. “I miss the peo- “I didn’t have any plans after ple, the food, the culture.” graduation, and I have been Crane, Dahl and Shelden MADDIE MALAT feeling pressure to figure out will be working in the Eng- Left to right: Megan Sheldon, Sam Ferguson and Amy what I’m going to do. … It just lish Language Center, which Crane, who will be working in China after graduation. so happened that the applica- Crane states is sort of like tion was due later that week, the equivalent of Concordia’s BY KAITLYN ALME these students include Jaron so I thought ‘why not,’ and Writing Center. [email protected] Dahle, Amy Crane, Samantha applied for it.” “We provide a space to As graduation day ap- Ferguson and Megan Shel- Dahle, a double major in help them with their English proaches, many seniors are den. English writing and Chinese, and will help them with their making important decisions Earlier this year, Concor- saw the internship as an op- English writing,” Crane said. regarding their future plans. dia’s Global Learning Of- portunity to return to China, They will also be working Some graduates will be enter- fice provided this opportu- where he had spent a semes- as teaching assistants, and ing the workforce, and others nity through an email sent ter studying last year. Dahle will each lead an extracurric- will be going onto graduate to students who had studied fell in love with the culture ular club of their choosing to school.