The most moving artistic experiences that I had at St. Olaf were while singing with the choirs. I arrived at St. Olaf in 1976 after a high school guidance office search on microfiche for “smaller schools in Minnesota with good music programs” offered up St. Olaf. An Illinois resident, I had always loved visiting my grandparents’ Minnesota farm in the summer time. An alto saxophone player, I unfortunately did not notice that St. Olaf had only one band — which I did not make upon trying out. Looking to make lemonade out of lemons, I joined the Manitou Singers, a first-year girls chorus directed by Alice Larsen. Ms. Larsen was an inspiration — a mother, auntie, and fairy godmother to all of us. She tamed our girlish squeaks through tips that she demonstrated, such as singing as though we were “40 years old,” and acclimated our entry to college and choir culture. My first experience standing on the bleachers and singing along with multiple choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra for the multiple-night Christmas Festival gave me goose bumps. The feeling of all our voices blending, striving for a perfect harmony, was extraordinary.

I was fortunate to sing under the direction of Kenneth Jennings my senior year. I wish I had a notebook of all the sage advice that he gave us. It felt to me that his musical direction also had a deeper life application. Somehow his direction pulled excellence out of us. I know that on a full forte hold, Jennings found sound deep inside me that I was unaware that I could produce. We always held hands during our concerts. As an a cappella group, the practical application was if your neighbor was singing sharp, you would gently pull their hand down, or if they were flat, you would push their hand up. For me it expanded the bond with my singing colleagues. You couldn’t have a disagreement during the day or some petty jealousy and then hold hands singing a concert without gaining grace and forgiveness. I am sure that I am not the only one to have a best friend forever from their choral experience at St. Olaf. Singing the repertoire recorded as Reflections of Norway in Norway was an unforgettable experience. My highlight was O Crux by Knut Nysted resounding through a cathedral in Trondheim. Thank you, St. Olaf Music Program, for teaching me the beauty of a life in harmony.