St. Olaf Band
Encyclopedia
The St. Olaf Band, an ensemble of approximately 90 musicians, is the touring concert band
of St. Olaf College
, Northfield, Minnesota
. The band was founded in 1891, and holds the honor of being the first music organization established at St. Olaf. F. Melius Christiansen
assumed leadership of the band in 1903. In 1906, Christiansen took the St. Olaf Band on tour to Norway
to play for King Haakon VII, making it the first college music ensemble to conduct a tour abroad.
Miles H. Johnson took over direction of the ensemble in 1957, and held the position of conductor for 37 years. During this time, Johnson drove the band to even greater heights, earning it national and international acclaim as a performing ensemble.
In 1994, Dr. Timothy Mahr
was appointed conductor of the ensemble. In March of 1997, the band toured California for nine days, and were one of four college bands invited to perform at the American Bandmasters Association
National Convention in San Diego.
Under the direction of Dr. Mahr, the St. Olaf Band has produced nine compact disc recordings, four of which have received worldwide praise.
The band, hailed by The New Yorker as “one of America’s preeminent bands”, traditionally tours domestically for one week at the beginning of February. In the summer of 2005, the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Orchestra and St. Olaf Choir
traveled on a joint tour to Norway, celebrating the college's Norwegian heritage and the centennial of Norway's independence from Sweden. During January of 2010, the band toured Japan for the first time in its history.
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
of St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
, Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
. The band was founded in 1891, and holds the honor of being the first music organization established at St. Olaf. F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen
F. Melius Christiansen was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition.-Background:...
assumed leadership of the band in 1903. In 1906, Christiansen took the St. Olaf Band on tour to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to play for King Haakon VII, making it the first college music ensemble to conduct a tour abroad.
Miles H. Johnson took over direction of the ensemble in 1957, and held the position of conductor for 37 years. During this time, Johnson drove the band to even greater heights, earning it national and international acclaim as a performing ensemble.
In 1994, Dr. Timothy Mahr
Timothy Mahr
Timothy Mahr , is a professor of music at St. Olaf College, an American composer and conductor. He is married to Jill Mahr, music performer and educator, and they have two daughters, Jenna and Hannah.-Education:...
was appointed conductor of the ensemble. In March of 1997, the band toured California for nine days, and were one of four college bands invited to perform at the American Bandmasters Association
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences...
National Convention in San Diego.
Under the direction of Dr. Mahr, the St. Olaf Band has produced nine compact disc recordings, four of which have received worldwide praise.
The band, hailed by The New Yorker as “one of America’s preeminent bands”, traditionally tours domestically for one week at the beginning of February. In the summer of 2005, the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Orchestra and St. Olaf Choir
St. Olaf Choir
The St. Olaf Choir, a 75 voice mixed ensemble, is the touring a cappella choir of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. Officially founded in 1912 by music faculty member F. Melius Christiansen as the St. Olaf Lutheran Choir, it began as an outgrowth of the local St. John's Lutheran Church,...
traveled on a joint tour to Norway, celebrating the college's Norwegian heritage and the centennial of Norway's independence from Sweden. During January of 2010, the band toured Japan for the first time in its history.