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History of Soli Deo Gloria Choir
1973 - 1986
In the fall of 1973, Bethany Lutheran Church was asked to provide the music for the Annual
Lutheran Reformation Service to be held on the Colorado College Campus at Shove Chapel.
The choir director at Bethany, Judith Westcott, established a community choir using
Bethany's choir as a nucleus, augmented by church singers of various denominations. That
December, on the first Sunday of Advent, the choir performed the Christmas portion of
Handel's Messiah at Shove Chapel. Because of the joy members found in being
part of a community choir, they decided they wanted to become a permanent,
nondenominational choir and chose for their name "Soli Deo Gloria," which means,
"To God Alone Be Glory."
K. Kenneth Westcott served as director with Judith Westcott as assistant director and
accompanist through the spring of 1986.
Soli traditionally sings in church sanctuaries, though several performances have been held
at the Pikes Peak Center. In 1980, the choir raised over eighteen thousand dollars to send
fifty-four members to Washington, DC to perform as part of President Ronald Reagan's first
inaugural festivities. In 1982, the choir performed with the Colorado
Springs Symphony at the July 4th Celebration in Memorial Park. In 1986, at the Pikes Peak
Center, the choir participated with other choral groups in the production of
America!, a celebration of the bicentennial
signing of the Constitution.
1986 - 1994
In the early years, Soli Deo Gloria Choir
traditionally performed Messiah each Christmas season with members of the Colorado Springs
Symphony. As membership and interest grew, the repertoire was expanded to include such
major works as Mozart's Mass in C Minor, Faure's
Requiem,
Bach's St. John Passion and Magnificat,
Brahms' A German Requiem, Mendelssohn's
Elijah
and Rutter's Gloria. In 1986, Anna Hamre became the director and
remained for eight years. Calvin Rogers directed for one year while Dr. Hamre took a
sabbatical leave. In the fall of 1991, Soli
Deo Gloria Choir became a prominent part of the City of Colorado Springs' "Festival
of Lights" with a performance of Bach's Magnificat.
In 1993, the choir again performed with the Colorado Springs Symphony at
the July 4th Celebration in Memorial Park.
1994 - 1998
In the fall of 1994, Edmund Ladouceur became director of Soli Deo Gloria Choir. Under his
direction, the choir grew to 160 members. Music performed included Honegger's
King
David, Faure's Requiem, Gounod's
Sanctus
et Benedictus, Brahms' A German Requiem and a
wonderful assortment of Christmas music for the fall concerts.
As part of its 25th
Anniversary Celebration, Soli Deo Gloria once again performed Handel's
Messiah.
Soli Deo Gloria Choir joined with the Colorado Springs Symphony and Colorado Springs
Chorale in May of 1998 to perform Mahler's Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection).
1999 - 2001
From 1999 to 2001, Robert Crowder directed Soli. Large works included Lauridsen's Lux
Aeterna, Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, Holst's The Hymn of Jesus, Op. 37, and Poulenc's
Gloria. Soli Deo Gloria Choir joined with the Colorado Springs
Symphony and Colorado Springs Chorale again in May of 1999 for Verdi's
Requiem. Also, in February
of 1999, Soli gave its first Hymn Festival at First United Methodist Church. In December
of the same year, the choir was privileged to sing with the Pueblo Symphony in Colorado
Springs and Pueblo.
In May of 2000, Soli was invited and honored to participate as the guest choir with the
Air Force Band of the Rockies' Stars and Stripes Forever concert
at the Pikes Peak Center as part of the annual celebration of Armed Forces Week.
2001 - present
Brad Peterson joined
Soli Deo Gloria Choir as Director in September 2001.
In 2002, Soli was voted Best Vocal Group/Classical by the Colorado Springs Music Awards.
The awards presentation ceremony was held April 14, 2002. Soli Deo Gloria Choir
performed at Carnegie Hall in May 2003.
We look
forward to many more concerts under Brad's direction. |
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