30 March | Oslo, Norway [Tor Tjeransen]
Taking a 4,500 mile journey from Washington State, USA, to share their muscial talents, The Upper Columbia Academy 74 strong Chorales and Orchestra of students and teachers thrilled audiences in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark during their two-week tour of Scandinavia from March 14 – 27.
In Norway, the young musicians, aged 15-18, performed at various venues including the Adventist Church in Mjøndalen and in Ulsrud, and at the Norwegian Junior College (Tyrifjord videregående skole) where they formed a combined choir with local students. Audiences were blessed by the songs and testimonies shared, and were particularly appreciative of the performance of “The Ground” by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo.
Choir conductor Curtis Anderson expressed his gratitude for the reception the musicians received, and the opportunity to play and sing in the beautiful Lutheran parish church in Hønefoss.
Deep and Genuine
In Sweden the choir and orchestra performed at the Swedish Junior College (Ekebyholmsskolan). Göran Hansen, former president of the Swedish Union of Churches, was captivated by the skilled musicians, “I am hugely impressed by the quality of the choir. Both choir and orchestra performed a repertoire that was both deep and genuine.”
People in the community also showed much interest and appreciation, filling the church to capacity, even though the concert took place on a weekday. “In the history of the Junior College, we have never heard such beautiful and fine music”, said one concertgoer who has lived at the college since the 1960s.
Moved to tears
After the performance in Sweden, the tour continued to Nærum, in Denmark. There, too, the young musicians played and sang in a packed church. Their last stop on the Scandinavia Tour was in Malmö, Sweden where organisers had to open an adjacent hall to accommodate everyone. “The last few songs when the choristers and orchestra performed together were so beautiful that we were moved to tears”, said the local pastor, Christopher Laubscher.
“It has been a pleasure to collaborate and connect with the people from Upper Columbia Academy”, reflected Elbjørg Keyn Lundström, music teacher at the Norwegian Junior College and tour organiser.
The original version of this article was published on the Norwegian Union Conference website. [Photos: Tor Tjeransen / AME -CC BY 4.0].
