Björling Recital Hall: G Choir Again—38 Years (and More) Later Posted on January 14th, 2019 by Stephanie Ash

I remember the last Gustavus Choir concert of my senior year, walking from the risers and thinking to myself, I will never sing in a choir this good again, this is it, these days are done. I was uncharacteristically stoic…just grateful that I had sung exquisite music with beautiful people, in stunning churches and chapels throughout the United States and Canada for four blissful years.

Of course, I have sung with other very, very good choirs filled with mature adult voices that have a rich timbre so different from young, limber college-aged voices. I’ve sung in choirs that recorded at Paisley Park, premiered original music written just for that particular choir, choirs that raised the hair on the back of my neck (a sure sign of a magical musical moment for me). But none of these amazing choirs was the choir that I came to Gustavus to sing for. The choir that my Mom sang in, the choir that was one of the A’s on her first college report card (the other was in voice). The other unmentionable grades on that card were worthy of a stern, firm letter from her father lovingly encouraging her to apply that same focus to her other courses.

So to walk into Bjorling Concert Hall, step on to the stage where I quivered in fear as a young soloist and recitalist, and stand within the sound of the Gustavus Choir as an alumni singer was overwhelming. Literally there were so many beautiful voices around me that it was disorienting. Like being drawn into a river of sound and breath.

Almost six decades old, and there I was again—welcomed by the generous young singers patiently adjusting to our new voices. Allowing us into a sacred musical space. What maturity, what generosity. How Gustavus of these students. Traveling is a liminal act, a passage to the new. And here are we as older singers as the choir is in a liminal space moving from conductor to conductor. Just as the choir did during my four years as a student.