The program is free and open to the public. 

The 110-voice Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Tom Porter, chair of the University of Mary Department of Music, will perform a variety of choral classics, including “Ave Maria” by American composer Morten Lauridsen and “This Little Babe” by English composer Benjamin Britten. 

“Choir music offers a unique opportunity to express the beauty of the music and the meaning of the text,” says Porter. “One of our selections, “Idumea,” is from the shape-note singing tradition, combining a poignant text with a melody that pulls at your heart-strings.” 

Dennis Gowen, who has directed bands at the University of Mary for over 30 years, will conduct a program that includes “Suite Francaise” by French composer Darius Milhaud in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and “Ghost Train” by American composer Eric Whitacre, commemorating the 150-year anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The University of Mary is a private Catholic, liberal arts institution in Bismarck, North Dakota.