Sat. Nov 12, 2011, 7:30pm at Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Paul

Sun. Nov 13, 2011, 4:00pm at First Lutheran Church, Columbia Heights

Both concerts are free. Donations are welcomed at each performance to support the mission of Singers in Accord.

Singers in Accord opens its 2011-2012 concert season performing Conflict & Contentment, a contemplative journey through choral music that searches for peace and harmony in the midst of life's struggles. The chorale sings under the masterful baton of Dr. David L. Mennicke, Director of Choral Studies and Music Chair at Concordia University, St. Paul, where he also directs the Christus Chorus. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College with masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona. He has studied with such eminent conductors as Kenneth Jennings, Helmuth Rilling, Robert Shaw and Maurice Skones. Mennicke is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator, having served as a clinician for nearly 200 festivals. He has received the "Outstanding Young Director of the Year" and "Creative Programming" awards from the ACDA of Minnesota.

"In a community, we find resolution by learning to live together in harmony," says Dr. Mennicke. "A choir is a wonderful living-out of that vision -- a community that struggles together through challenges, and reaches unity, contentment, satisfaction and resolution as a group."

This presentation of classical, spiritual and folk literature will include: Mozart's Placido è il Mar; Benjamin Britten's A Wedding Anthem (Amo Ergo Sum), with tenor and soprano soloists; Psalm 90 written by Charles Ives for choir, organ and chimes; David Mennicke's lovely arrangement of Down in the River to Pray; and the wonderful King's Singers setting of That Lonesome Road by James Taylor. Powerful music by Brahms, Debussy, Monteverdi, Schütz, Kevin Siegfried and Moses Hogan will also be performed. The chorale is joined by Bill Munson on piano and organ for both performances.