Swedish Choir Makes Concert Stop In Waco
The internationally recognized Lunds Vokalensemble--a superb choir of 45 voices from Lund, Sweden--will present a free concert in Baylor University's Jones Concert Hall on Monday, March 13, beginning at 8 p.m.
Håkan Olsson founded the Lunds Vokalensemble in 1990 and served as the group's first conductor. His intention was to create a choir at the highest musical level and to sing more advanced music than had ever been sung in Lund, especially music by contemporary Swedish and Scandinavian composers. (Lund--a university city of about 90,000--is located in southern Sweden, about 30 miles east of Copenhagen, Denmark). In 1993 Olsson turned the baton over to legendary choral conductor Folke Alm, who laid the foundation for the choir's traditional Christmas and spring concerts. The Lunds Vokalensemble's present conductor, Ingemar Månsson, has led the choir since 1995. Founder Håkan Olsson now sings second bass and remains the ensemble's manager.
Two summers ago, the Lunds Vokalensemble won the mixed choir competition at the eighteenth International Béla Bartók Choir Festival. It was after this significant win that the choir was invited by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) to come to the United States. Last May they won the prestigious European Grand Prix in Choral Music. They are now in the midst of a two-week tour of the central United States, culminating in a performance at the ACDA's Southwest Division Convention in Oklahoma City. They have three CDs to their credit.
The Lunds Vokalensemble's appearance in Waco was made possible by support from the Baylor University Office of the Provost and through the efforts of Ambassador to Sweden Lyndon Olson Jr., a Baylor graduate and distinguished alumnus. The School of Music is pleased to offer this special concert--free of charge--to Wacoans and those in the surrounding communities. For more information, call the Baylor University School of Music at (254) 710-3991.