Yearbook of Fine Arts Events, 2003-2004

Paul Aldrich, comedian	The Great "Carnak"

In 2003 First Lutheran's Community Fine Arts Series received the Altrusa Cultural Arts Award for "offering the area a variety of opportunities for personal growth and development through the arts." The Fine Arts Series has featured Adult, College, and Children's Choirs from Poland, Hungary, Trinidad, Zambia, Russia, all over the United States.

In addition, the Fine Arts Series features six organists each Spring on the Lenten Organ Recital Series. Local, regional, and nationally-recognized organists are featured each year. In 2003 the organists were Timothy Olsen (2002 AGO National Winner), Shin Kyung Bang, Gregory Ceurvorst, Devon Hollingsworth, Rosemary Lane, and Randall Stubbs.

Bettie Hall Calligraphy Exhibit Photos

Swedish Choir in Concert

On March 1, at 8:00 PM at Boutell Concert Hall, NIU, the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble will perform a free concert. The chamber choir consists of 16 professional singers from the northern region of Sweden.

Erik Westberg, professor of choral activities at the University School of Music in Piteå, has founded the ensemble and conducted them for the past ten years. Westberg studied under the legendary Eric Ericsson in Stockholm.

The program focuses on Swedish music spanning the most refined choral lyricism of the Romantic period to exciting rhythmic choral-percussion settings and newly composed works. Together with the Barent International Choral Centre they have pioneered indigenous inspired choral literature based on Lapplander folksongs (?joik?). Their comprehensive choral smörgåsbord of contemporary Swedish choral music promises to mesmerize music lovers of all ages and persuasions.

Trevor Kahlbaugh

Devon Hollingsworth

Rosemary Lane

Randall Stubbs

2004 Lenten Organ Recital Series

Friday, March 5, 12:10 PM Trevor Kahlbaugh originally hails from Albany, New York. He held the position of Organ Scholar and eventually Assistant Organist/Choirmaster at the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany. Trevor did his undergraduate studies in Organ Performance and Church Music at Indiana University where he studied with Dr. Marilyn Keiser and served for one year as her Music Intern at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington, IN. He currently resides in Woodridge, IL and serves as a substitute organist in the Fox Valley Area.

Sunday, March 14, 3:00 PM Devon Hollingsworth served for 25 years as Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church of Oak Brook, Illinois. His church music training was at Wheaton College and Northwestern University. He has directed choral groups for over 35 years, and was responsible for more than 15 music groups at Christ Church, including a Concert Series, a Conservatory of Music, and Kindermusik. He coordinated a staff of 12 assistants. Devon and his family moved to DeKalb two years ago.

Friday, March 19, 12:10 PM Rosemary Lane, resident organist, has loved and performed music since childhood. A retired physician, she has always tried to make time for music as well. During her medical employment at Northern Illinois University, she studied organ and received the Masters of Music degree in organ performance in 1988. From 1988 until 2001 she taught organ and later also organ literature in the School of Music at NIU.

Sunday, April 4, 3:00 PM Randy Stubbs, resident organist, has been at First Lutheran since 1987. In addition to serving as Director of Music at the church, he is the Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Children's Chorus, founded in 1991. Stubbs has degrees in Organ, Choral Conducting, Music Education, and Piano from NIU and Washington State University. He is also active as a keyboardist throughout Northern Illinois.

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