David Mennicke - Songs of the Spirit
Songs of the Spirit
November, 2012
Singers in Accord will kick off their fourth concert season under the masterful direction of Dr. David L. Mennicke, with two performances of “Songs of the Spirit,” a musical journey into the spiritual nature of our existence. The concert features classical and contemporary choral music spanning five centuries on texts relating to the spirit.
“Our program, Songs of the Spirit, will explore music from and of spiritual things, be they human or divine, secular or sacred,” says Dr. Mennicke. “In so doing, we hope to discover things in our spirits and share the spiritual power of music with the audience.”
The concert will feature “Rejoice in the Lamb” by Benjamin Britten, based on the poem Jubilate Agno, which Christopher Smart wrote while he was in an 18th century English insane asylum. The chorale will also perform “Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf” by Bach in double choir and will exhibit the haunting harmonies of overtone singing in “Past Life Melodies” by Sarah Hopkins.
Both concerts are FREE--all ages are welcome!
David L. Mennicke
David L. Mennicke
Dr. David L. Mennicke is Professor of Music and Chair of the Concordia University, St. Paul Music Department, where he has been Director of Choral Studies since 1989. Mennicke encourages at Concordia a musical community that nurtures each student from the beginner to the accomplished musician. His teaching expertise covers choral conducting, voice training, music education, church music, musical theatre, and music arranging. Under his direction, the Concordia University Christus Chorus has performed for the national College Music Society, regional MENC and state ACDA conferences. The Christus Chorus has been invited to perform with the Minnesota Orchestras seven times, and toured throughout the United States and to Africa, Europe, and South Korea.Mennicke is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, having served in over 200 festivals, including the Minnesota All-State Children’s and Men’s Choirs. He sang in the Grammy Award-winning Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, and is a tenor section leader with the Minnesota, SPCO, and Beethoven Festival Chorales. His choral anthems, services, music education materials, and articles published by CPH, Morningstar, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, Lutheran Forum, and the AGEHR. Mennicke is also an active church musician, directing the Senior, Men’s, and Youth Choirs at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Minneapolis.