IMSC Ep 63 - Song 3: "Wild and Crazy" by Moonshine Sorrow

Moonshine Sorrow has had a lineup change and now go by Whiskey and Woe.

"Infusing their own blend of country-hell-billy Iowa folk rock, their greatest pleasure is rumored to be being too drunk to give a shit about anything." - from Moonshine Sorrow's Facebook page

IMSC Ep 61 - Song 3: "Crazy Days" by A is Jump

"Brad and Ryan started making tapes in their Iowa dorm rooms in 1996. They convinced Jessie to put viola parts on the tapes starting in 1998 or so. A little while after that, the sounds from Cory's room were just too much and he started putting his keyboard bits on the tapes. Somewhere in there the live shows began. The first ones were either very weird or very small performances in art galleries and coffeeshops. In 2000, the shows moved into the rock clubs. Jessie still played on tapes but mostly lived in Boulder. Kevin and Grant and Powell and Peter all played in the rhythm section for a time until Phil started playing drums and Steve started playing bass. That was the lineup for about 4 years.

"The band made an album called "My Ice-Fingered Ghost" in Chicago in 2003. It came out in 2004 on Future Appletree Records. They toured the midwest a couple of times and played with bands like Outrageous Cherry, The Frogs, The High Strung, Menomena, The Rosebuds, and Quasi.

"The band holed up in a house in Waterloo, Iowa with a bunch of recording gear in the hopes of recording their second album, but it never really panned out. In 2006, Brad and Ryan moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A while later, Cory moved to Saxapahaw, which isn't terribly far away. The three of them resumed playing, this time with a laptop, looper, and hand percussion as the rhythm section. Jessie was living in Baltimore by this point, which though not close isn't too bad for a weekend trip, so she said she'd start to play her viola parts in the band again. A is Jump is currently writing, recording, and rehearsing new and old material."
- from their entry on the Secret History of the Cedar Valley website

Credits:
Casey Averill
Brad Brandhorst
Ryan Creery
Cory Hamilton
Mary Jessica McGee
Philip Sterk

Recorded April 2006 - July 2014 in Chapel Hill, Durham, Hillsborough, and Saxapahaw, NC.
Engineered and Produced by A is Jump for The Hate Salon.
Mixed by Chris Wimberley and Brad Brandhorst at Nightsound Studios in Carrboro, NC.
Mix Assistants: Mark Oglesby, Meghan Puryear, Adrianna Villa, and Geneva Walata.
Mastered By Carl Saff

From their Facebook page:
"photo by Elaine,
used without permission."

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/A-is-Jump-124240155806/

Sump Pump Records:
http://sumppumprecords.com/distro/io88s18j0o4c7yyw71vpb50b56euu3

Bandcamp:
https://sumppumprecords.bandcamp.com/album/weird-nostalgia
https://sumppumprecords.bandcamp.com/album/my-ice-fingered-ghost-2

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode61/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2061_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2015, A is Jump (band), Brad Brandhorst, Chapel Hill (North Carolina), cloud rock, Cory Hamilton, Crazy Days (song), Ep 061, rock music, Ryan Creery, Sump Pump Records, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area

IMSC Ep 06 - Song 1: "Charlottesville" written and performed by Brooke Joyce

Charlottesville — On August 11 & 12, groups of mostly white men gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to march with torches and shout declarations of white supremacy. In the ensuing counter-protest, many were injured, and one young woman and two Virginia state troopers were killed. I have lived in Charlottesville, my wife grew up there, and our family has visited many times. This tragedy shook us to the core. For some reason, Oscar Peterson's great Civil Rights Era anthem, "Hymn to Freedom," repeatedly played in my mind as I read about the events of the weekend and saw photos. I decided to compose a piano solo based on Peterson's music; it is a tribute to those who stand up to hatred and fearmongering
- from an email sent by Brooke Joyce to this website

"Brooke Joyce’s music has been described as 'vividly pictorial' (San Francisco Chronicle) and 'exceptionally gripping' (Los Angeles Times) and has been performed by soloists and ensembles around the world, including the Indianapolis Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, the Brentano Quartet, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, the Nash Ensemble, and tenor James Gilchrist. He is the recipient of the Joseph Bearns Prize, the Wayne Peterson Prize, the Darius Milhaud Award, and many citations from the National Federation of Music Clubs and ASCAP. Brooke is the Composer-in-Residence at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, chair of the Iowa Composers Forum, and a founding faculty member of the International Music Festival of the Adriatic.
- from an email sent by Brooke Joyce to this website

Lineup:
Brooke Joyce - piano

Ep 60 - Song 3: "The Shriek of Silence" written by Logan Larson and performed by Lisa Neher and Abbie Corrine

"There is a silence where hath been no sound, There is a silence where no sound may be, In the cold grave—under the deep deep sea, Or in wide desert where no life is found, Which hath been mute, and still must sleep profound;No voice is hush’d—no life treads silently, But clouds and cloudy shadows wander free. That never spoke, over the idle ground: But in green ruins, in the desolate walls Of antique palaces, where Man hath been, Though the dun fox, or wild hyæna, calls, And owls, that flit continually between, Shriek to the echo, and the low winds moan,— There the true Silence is, self-conscious and alone." (Thomas Hood)

"Logan Larson is a classical music composer originally from Waukee, Iowa. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Luther College (’16) in Decorah, Iowa. While at Luther he studied composition under Dr. Brooke Joyce. Logan now studies under Dr. Forrest Pierce while pursuing his Masters in Music Composition at the University of Kansas. His compositions have premiered on three continents including North America, Europe, and Australia. His choral music has been performed largely in the Midwestern United States and his vocal music has received more international recognition. Three of his vocal works have premiered in Italy, along with performances in the United States. In terms of instrumental works, Logan is known for his fusion of classical music elements with more contemporary music techniques found in genres such as electronic dance music. He has been fortunate enough to work with fantastic musicians from around the globe and has been commissioned to write works for groups such as the Grammy-nominated string quintet Sybarite5."
- from Logan Larson's homepage

"Mezzo-Soprano and composer Lisa Neher (DMA) thrives in the crossroads of the concert hall and the theatre stage. Trained as a stage actress, she is equally at home in the worlds of opera and spoken theatre, bringing dramatic specificity and committed physicality to her performances. Lisa’s compositions are shaped by her keen sense of dramatic timing and feature aching, lyrical phrases, energetic rhythmic motives, and intensely dissonant pitch clusters."
- from Lisa Neher's home page

Lineup:
Lisa Neher - vocals (mezzo-soprano)
Abbie Corrine - piano

IMSC Ep 60 - Song 4: "Aus tiefer Not" written by Jeremy Maas and performed by Gregory Peterson

"Originally written for a concert commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, “Aus tiefer Not” draws upon the tune and text of a hymn written by Martin Luther. The first line of the German hymn, 'Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir,' translates roughly to 'From deep affliction I cry out to you.' While I intend the music to create a space for contemplation or prayer, I also seek to express the voice of the text: a desperate call to a distant God." - from an email sent to our website

"Jeremy Maas (b. 1994) is a composer living in Iowa City. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Music Composition at the University of Iowa while working as a graduate assistant in Music Theory. He previously completed a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Luther College. His music has been performed by the JACK Quartet, Sybarite5, as a part of the Midwest Composers’ Symposium, the Exchange of Midwest Collegiate Composers, the Iowa Composers’ Forum, IMFA (Italy), and on MPR. Jeremy has studied composition with Josh Levine, Stefano Sacher, Steve Smith, and Brooke Joyce."
- from an email sent to our website

"Gregory Peterson has been hailed as an organist with "imagination and verve." His playing is described as "competent and stylish" (The American Organist) and "excellent and masterful" (Barometern — Sweden). A frequent soloist, he has given recitals in important venues including Independent Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama, Trinity Church, Boston, the Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, Massachusetts, the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Mission Church), Boston and New York City’s famed Riverside Church and Central Synagogue. European venues include the Berlin Cathedral; Helsinki’s Rock Church; St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw; St. Nicholas Church, Prague; St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, Uppsala Cathedral in Sweden and St. Augustine’s Church, Penarth, Cardiff. He has also performed at national and regional conferences of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and throughout the United States. He is featured on the critically acclaimed compact disc "Heroic Sounds," released by Denouement Records, recommended for "nice music superbly played" (Journal of the Association of Anglican Church Musicians) and "Dieterich Buxtehude: A 300th Anniversary Celebration" released in 2007 by Luther College. He is represented by Concert Artist Cooperative of Sebastopol, California.

" Dr. Peterson is Associate Professor of Music at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa where he teaches applied organ and church music. He also conducts the Luther Ringers and serves as College Organist and Cantor to the student congregation, playing for daily and Sunday chapel in the College’s Center for Faith and Life on the 42-stop mechanical action organ by Robert Sipe. A dedicated and expert professional church musician for more than twenty years, he served the historic Old South Church on Boston’s Copley Square as Organist and Minister of Music from 1997-2005. At Old South he directed the Old South Choir and Old South Ringers and performed regularly with the Old South Brass, Organ and Timpani Ensemble including the ever-popular annual First Night Concerts on New Year’s Eve. Prior to his appointment in Boston he was Christ Chapel Organist and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota."
- from Gregory Peterson's page on the Concert Artist Cooperative website

Lineup:
Gregory Peterson - organ

Ep 57 - Song 2: "Jingle Bells" by Farewell 2nd South

"I'm a music composition major at Luther College, and I'm also on the cross country team. 12 of my teammates and I lived in a residence hall called Farwell last year. Farwell has a floor plan with 'clusters.' A cluster is basically a big living room with 7 dorm rooms attached. We lived on the 2nd floor, south side. One day, I said, 'Hey guys let's make a Christmas album.' So we started that day with 'Oh Holy Night' and basically just recorded Christmas songs here and there for about 2 weeks. Our philosophy for most of these was, 'First take, best take.'... But for the most part our goal first and foremost was to have fun, which really shines through on tracks like, 'Jingle Bells' (our breakout single). At the very least, our friends liked it.

For the most part, this project was, for me, a way to make music purely for fun and not worry so much about being artistic or serious or whatever. It's kind of similar to my joke project, DJ Yoyo (https://djyoyo1.bandcamp.com). I also have serious stuff here - https://hunterprueger.bandcamp.com.

As for the group now, we're all still friends and teammates but we no longer live in a cluster. Look out for a music video coming soon."
- from Hunter Prueger in an email to Iowa Music Showcase

"Merry Christmas from the guys who live and hang out in the Farwell 2nd south cluster. From covers of our favorite Christmas songs to a Kenny G diss track, you better not play this in the dorms as it may be considered a fire hazard. Recorded entirely in our dorm rooms, living room, and the practice room beneath us." - from their BandCamp page

Lineup:
Hunter Prueger - Ukulele, recorder, piano, melodica
Maape Finnegan - Vocals
Ranger Deranek - Vocals, recorder
Laika Amann - Vocals
Mance Streitz - Vocals, shaker
Ethan Harris - Vocals
Pike Selcke - Vocals
Sasso Lumbar - Vocals
Kenobi Warehime - Vocals, guitar
Sengi Duethman - Vocals
Taz Brandt - Vocals, ukulele
Solo Weber - Vocals
Chiron Kern - Vocals
Howl Orton - Vocals
Anna Ryden - Vocals
And Kenny G, of course

BandCamp:
https://farwell2ndsouth.bandcamp.com

Hunter Prueger's BandCamp page:
https://hunterprueger.bandcamp.com/

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode57/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2057_.mp3

IMSC Ep 55 - Song 7: "Waking Call of the Dead" by Grave Corps

"Grave Corps is a band from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Their unique blend of punk, metal, and rock n' roll with a horror movie twist, creates a band that is unlike any other. With a wide range of influences containing The Misfits, Avenged Sevenfold, Kiss, Samhain, Rob Zombie, AFI, Guns N' Roses, Danzig, and Alice Cooper. They thrill audiences with their huge horror anthems and high-energy stage show. Their vision of a post-apocalyptic, monster filled world comes alive on stage with a plethora of face melting, chant worthy songs that keeps the audience singing along throughout the set.

"Grave Corps originally began in October 2007 and quickly became one of the bigger bands in the state of Iowa. Their diverse influences allowed them to share the stage with national acts such as the L.A. Guns, Britny Fox, Faster Pussycat, Steven Adler of Guns N' Roses, Michale Graves of the Misfits, Wednesday 13, The AKA’s, Saves the Day, Alkaline Trio, Dope, Soil, Powerman 5000, and Creature Feature. After hundreds of shows all over the Midwest, the band was signed to Crypt Of Blood Records out of New Jersey. The band released their debut album, "Blood Soaked Serenade", to a lot of buzz. The physical release of the album sold out quickly, and the online plays topped 40,000. Throughout this era, they went through various line up changes. They finally decided to let the beast rest in November 2009, until the time was right to resurrect the Corps with the right people in place. Well that time is now.

"The band consists of Arly Von, lead vocalist, and the ultimate front man. Arly's voice is melodic, yet gritty. His ability to command a crowd is unlike any other. He is truly the voice of a new generation. The ratty, raw, punk rock bass lines of Kodie Krypt, along with the precise, yet hard hitting, stick trick drumming of JJ Priest make the unique rhythm section that is the pulse of Grave Corps. On guitars are Scott A.D. and Christ LaViene. Scott delivers a rapid-fire, solid punk rhythm that can't be matched while the melodic licks, shredding leads, and memorable solos of Christ add the perfect amount of sleaze to the songs.

"With the fresh blood pumping life back into Grave Corps the band has set out to regain it's throne. They have all new songs (although you might hear a couple classics from time to time) and are working on a bigger then ever stage show to match the music. That's not to say they're not willing to play some down and dirty in your face rock shows as well. The time has come for them to bring their Horror anthems back to the masses. Are you ready?"
- from their Facebook page

"After the clouds have cleared, and the chilling sound of silence and death falls on the city of Cedar Falls, the middle of nowhere, Iowa, six silohettes of soulless creatures of the night assembled. And formed an unstoppable army of the un-dead known simply as GRAVE CORPS. Their mission is to play shows to amass a trail of death to feed there undying blood lust and add to the ever growing army of the damned, known simply as “Grave Slaves", who have no choice, but to follow there masters feeding on the flesh and brains of the living. Together on a never ending quest to take over this world, city by city! Fronted by Corey Corpse, the blood soaked re-animated demon seed. His haunting presence, and raw blood curdling vokillz entice the victims before the slaughter. Scott A.D. provides the deadly, driving rhythm to lead the kill machine to their untimely demise. Kodie Krypt’s low end signals lull the masses into a false sense of security before the slaughter. Arly Von screaming leads offer a foresight to your demise. Erich Allen Poe offers a lovely taste of heaven from the keys right before a signing your ticket to hell. Daniel DeKay pounds the rhythm of the war drums, aiding the band with deadly beats to make you feel your chest cave in right before your heart explodes. They are on a mission to create an army of the un-dead to join us on our blood lust that wont be fulfilled until the world knows the haunting presence that is Grave Corps."
- from their entry on the Vampire Freaks website

Lineup:
Arly Von - Vokillz
Christ LaViene - Lead Guitar
Scott A.D. - Rhythm Guitar
Kodie Krypt - Bass
JJ Wolf - Drums

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/gravecorps/

ReberbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/gravecorps

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode55/Iowa+Music+Showcase+-+Episode+55_.mp3

Ep 54 - Song 5: "Murder Blood" by The Saddleback Zombies

The Saddleback Zombies is one-man band from Douglas Havlick, who also works as the one-man band, Scarvation. Why he needs two one-man bands, I do not know.

Lineup:
Douglas Havlick - vocals, instruments

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/thesaddlebackzombies

Scarvation Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/scarvation/

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode54/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2054_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, country music, Douglas Havlick, Ep 054, Halloween, Halloween 2017, Halloween music,Murder Blood (song), Saddleback Zombies (band), Waterloo, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area

IMSC Ep 53- Song 5: "Everybody POLKA!" by DeSelect

"4 bags of meat making noise...

"Acquaintances who enjoy making ruckus at hypersonic decibels. Driven to make music that is...great music."
- from their Facebook page

Lineup:
Zach Church - Bass
Adam M. PetersoN - Guitars/BackupVox/Programming
John Fitzpatrick - Drums/Samples
Brett Ubben - Lead Vox

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/deselectband/

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode53/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2053_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2017, Adam M Peterson, Brett Ubben, DeSelect (band), Ep 053, Everybody POLKA! (song),Halloween, Halloween 2017, John Fitzpatrick, metal music, Waterloo, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area, Zach Church

IMSC Ep 51 - Song 5: "Shutup" by Gutshot Chayce

"Beat making since 2013"
- from his Facebook page

"Beatmaker from Iowa. Hip Hop. Some video edits. Producer of (gsc) x ozy. Bot hater. Cassette lover. DIY everything."
- from his Twitter page

"Beatmaker from Iowa. HMU if you're a producer tryna collab!

Sp-404sx, sp505, Arturia MicroBrute, Cassette! Vinyl, VHS, Homemade percussion, Micro-cassette, Ableton Live."
- from his SoundCloud page

Lineup:
Gutshot Chayce - instruments, programming, etc
Shut Up - vocals

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Gutshotchayce/

BandCamp:
https://gutshotchayce.bandcamp.com/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/gutshotchayce

Shut Up on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/shutupbandia/

To download the podcast, click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode51/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2051_.mp3

IMSC Ep 51 - Song 7: "East Side" (clean) by King Meech

"King Meech is an upcoming artist in the Midwest region. This artist has attained over 350,000 views via YouTube and 1,000,000 spins via SoundCloud!!! Enjoy"
- from his Facebook page

IMSC Ep 48 - Song 1: "Wellington Victory, Symphony" (truncated) written by Ludwig van Beethoven and performed by Jason Weinberger and the wcf (Waterloo-Cedar Falls) symphony

"Conductor Jason Weinberger stands out among musicians of his generation for his passionate commitment to the entire life of his art form. Known for a wholly contemporary approach to programming, presentation, and performance, Jason is a tireless advocate for music among audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

"Jason is currently Artistic Director of Iowa’s pioneering ensemble wcfsymphony, having recently completed four years in a unique dual role combining his musical work with the responsibilities of CEO. Under his artistic leadership the orchestra has made major strides, performing a wide variety of new and recent American music by up-and-coming composers...
- from the wcf symphony website

IMSC Ep 48 - Song 2: "Weihnachten (Frohlocket, ihr Völker, No. 1 of Sechs Sprüche, Op. 79)" and Song 3: "I Will Not Leave You Comfortless" by The Wartburg Choir

"The Wartburg Choir is a select auditioned a cappella choir from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Founded in 1937, the choir became one of the first American college groups to tour Europe. The Wartburg Choir performs sacred music from all historical periods and styles and often premieres new works by contemporary composers. Called a “mighty fortress of skill” by the Washington Post,[1] the Wartburg Choir is one of Wartburg's three musical ensembles that tour internationally on a triennial basis. Beyond national and international tours tours, the choir has received invitations for special appearances in the United States and abroad."
- from their Wikipedia entry

"The internationally acclaimed Wartburg Choir performs sacred music from all historical periods and styles and often features premiere works of contemporary composers...

"F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955), founder of the St. Olaf Choir and mentor to Dr. Edwin Liemohn, founder of the Wartburg Choir, was seminal in shaping the aesthetic of the Lutheran choral sound in the early 20th century. By basing the sound of the choir on the sonority of the string quartet, he created a highly unified ensemble known for its tuning, technical abilities, and musical discipline.

"Preferring an unaccompanied performance style, Christiansen ensured that the choir would never be limited by the resources of each performance venue. Thus, he was able to extend the performance outreach of his ensemble to any congregation. The latter defined another key aspect of the Lutheran choir tradition through the emphasis on the touring ensemble. Directors of the choir stress the continuing importance of the tradition, explaining that the Wartburg Choir’s central goal is to sing the music historically and pedagogically as appropriately as possible while still honoring the legacy of the tradition." - from their home page

Ep 48 - Song 4: "Siren (Waterhouse)" written by Randy Wells and performed by Mariya Akhadjanova

"Randy Wells (b. 1992) began composing art music in 2012 after teaching himself keyboard and music theory during a winter of self-imposed exile after leaving a university science program. By 2013, he had finished his first compositions that were worth being cataloged, Coney Island Suite and a few guitar pieces.

"Randy’s music represents a continuation of the aesthetic philosophy of the Romantic era, and is characterized by emotional sensitivity and intensity, grandiose tendencies, and heavy influence of extra-musical ideas. Among his influences, Randy counts Mahler, Scriabin, Berg, and Shostakovich...

"andy enjoys playing guitar, piano, and organ, and is also an enthusiastic member of the UNI Varsity Men's Glee Club. Randy studies music composition at the University of Northern Iowa under Dr. Jonathan Schwabe. When not in front of a musical instrument, he can generally be found at the library, enjoying classic literature or reading up on the sciences (another source of musical inspiration)." - from Randy Wells' home page

"I believe that music must always invoke strong emotion, and I treat every job with great urgency and craftsmanship..."
- from Randy Wells' Upwork page

"Randy Wells specializes in Ultra-Romantic music of a programmatic or autobiographical nature. The music is characterized by hyper-emotionalism, grandiose tendencies, and heavy influence of extra-musical ideas. He considers himself an heir to the legacies of Scriabin, Borodin, Korngold, Berg, and Mahler, among others. For further listening, Randy invites you to visit www.randywellsmusic.com"
- from an email to Iowa Music Showcase

Lineup:
Mariya Akhadjanova - piano

Home page:
http://www.randywellsmusic.com/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/musicofrandys

Mariya Akhadjanova has no website that I could find!

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/Episode48IowaClassicalMusic/Episode%2048_%20Iowa%20Classical%20Music.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2017, classical, Ep 048, Mariya Akhadjanova, modern classical, modern classical music, piano,Randy Wells, Siren (Waterhouse) (song), Ultra-Romantic classical music, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area

IMSC Ep 48 - Song 7: "Entreat Me Not to Leave You" (truncated) written by Dan Forest and performed by Luther College Nordic Choir

"Nordic Choir, founded in 1946, enjoys national and international acclaim as a premier collegiate choral ensemble in the United States. The choir beings its tenure under the direction of Dr. Andrew Last this year. Last arrived at Luther in the fall of 2012 and begins his role as Director of Choral Activities in 2017. Previous conductors include Sigvart Steen (1946-48), Weston Noble '43 (1948-2005), Craig Arnold (2005-10), and Allen Hightower (2010-16).

"Nordic Choir is Luther’s flagship choir in a choral program that comprises three upper-class mixed touring choirs, two first-year choirs, and a women’s choir. More than 500 singers from these ensembles combine with Symphony Orchestra, Luther Ringers, and pipe organ for five Christmas at Luther performances each year...

'Traditions within the Nordic Choir include holding hands during all performances, the sapphire blue velvet robes, and singing Pavel Chesnokov's O Lord God as the signature benedictory since 1948."
- from their home page

"The Nordic Choir is a 62-voice a cappella choir of select mixed voices from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

"In 1948, just two years after its founding by Sigvart Steen, a Luther College alumnus, a young Weston Noble began a 57-year tenure as music director and conductor.[1] Together, Noble and The Nordic Choir cultivated the Lutheran collegiate choral traditions in the United States.

"Eventually five more choirs were added to the music program to accommodate the growing interest in choral music and voice at Luther. In 2005, Luther College named Craig Arnold to the position of Director of Choral Activities and conductor of the Nordic Choir following Noble’s retirement. Arnold held the position from 2005-2010. Allen Hightower was appointed conductor effective Fall 2010 and left for University of North Texas in 2016. The current conductor is Andrew Last."
- from their Wikipedia entry

"For those of you who don't know the Luther College choral program, this is a small school (about 2,500 students) of ambitious undergrads. Often when we hear great choirs from big schools we are hearing some much older, more mature voices (grad voice majors, grad teaching assistants, etc) in the top choir. The Lutheran singing tradition in Iowa, Minnesota, to some extent the Dakotas is remarkable. In addition to Luther, almost every college or university in the area fields outstanding choirs...

"This was something that I loved about this choir and Hightower- I felt that the choir under Arnold had one mode of bold, yet still warm singing and that it often sounded like a really great y'all come choir, in the sense that there was usually very little subtlety, nuance, phrasing, etc. Under Hightower every text and musical phrase is understood, and I also felt that the singers (holding hands in the Luther tradition) really heard all the other voice parts fitting into their own throughout every measure of every piece. There was an organic, communal process happening- seventy voices as one, if you will." - from a review on composer Paul Carey's website

Lineup:
Vocals - 2013-2014 Nordic Choir
Conductor - Allan Hightower

The song had to be cut down on the podcast for time reasons, but you can hear the complete version on this video:


Home page:
http://www.luther.edu/music/nordic-choir/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LutherNordicChoir/

Composer Dan Forest's home page:
http://danforrest.com/

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/Episode48IowaClassicalMusic/Episode%2048_%20Iowa%20Classical%20Music.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2014, Allan Hightower, choir music, choirs, classical, Decorah, Dubuque area, Entreat Me Not to Leave You (song), Ep 048, modern classical, Nordic Choir (band-ish?), Waterloo/Cedar Falls area

IMSC Ep 39 - Song 1: "Sugar Rum Cherry (Nutcracker Suite)" by Jason Weinberger and The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony

"wcfsymphony is a professional orchestra based in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa. Our mission is redefining the symphonic experience through live performances and community engagement. To this end we pursue inventive, contemporary approaches to ensemble performance as a means of engaging audiences more meaningfully in live music.

"The Courier hails our ‘innovative programming, inventive collaborations and interesting, sometimes surprising twists [which] make each concert a musical adventure.’ Our Artistic Director Jason Weinberger is known nationally for his work across genres and for his approachable, exciting style of presentation and interpretation, all typical of our work under his leadership. We are also unique among our peer ensembles for our singular dedication to American music, particularly new work from around the country and from within our state. As a fine arts and entertainment mainstay in northeast Iowa for the past 87 years we are deeply connected to the life of our community, particularly through our long-standing efforts to share music with young people and to advocate for education and the arts in our region. We apply the highest artistic and programmatic standards to our educational work in the belief that great art offered with passion, insight and joy can change lives at any age."
- from their Facebook page

"Music Director Jason Weinberger has built a reputation over the last 10 years for raising the excitement level with live performances that are a bit outside the box for typical classical concerts. Innovative programming, inventive collaborations and interesting, sometimes surprising twists make each concert a musical adventure.

"People have more things to do with their entertainment dollar these days, and we want to bring them here to the symphony. Live performances are exciting, and it's our mission to set ourself apart and give audiences an experience of a different order," Weinberger said.
- from a Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier article

"wcfsymphony was founded in the fall of 1929 by G.T. Bennett, Director of the East Waterloo High School Orchestra; Ralph Pronk, director of the West Waterloo High School Orchestra; Cressy Whalen, then president of the Waterloo Musicians Union; and the late Myron Russell, emeritus head of the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa. Our first name was ‘Waterloo Symphony Orchestra’...

"Our players include professional musicians from the Cedar Valley and across Eastern and Central Iowa and Southern Minnesota. Our many soloists in the twentieth century included Janos Starker, Gyorgy Sandor, Rafael Druian, Josef Gingold, Victor Borge, Peter Nero and Robert Merrill. In more recent years The King’s Singers, Isaac Stern, Doc Severinsen, Sharon Isbin, Simon Estes, Yo-Yo Ma, Peter Schickele, Chris Thile and Nadja Salerno-Sonenberg have joined us onstage for unforgettable live performances. We are also uniquely devoted to living American music – nearly a third of our repertoire over the past 10 years has consisted of new or recent music from Iowa and across the country."
- from their home page

"Conductor Jason Weinberger stands out among musicians of his generation for his passionate commitment to the entire life of his art form. Known for a wholly contemporary approach to programming, presentation, and performance, Jason is both a tireless advocate for music among audiences of all backgrounds and an emerging orchestra executive and entrepreneur.

"Jason currently leads wcfsymphony in a unique dual role as Pauline Barrett Artistic Director & Conductor and CEO. Under Jason’s 15 years of artistic leadership the orchestra has made major strides, performing a wide variety of new and recent American music by up-and-coming composers including Chris Thile, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Timo Andres, Daniel Roumain, and Gabriel Kahane and hosting some of today’s most important musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, David Shifrin, David Krakauer, Peter Schickele, Brandi Carlile, Matt Haimovitz, and Edgar Meyer. More recently, as CEO of wcfsymphony Jason has refocused its agenda as both a community asset and an industry leader. He is a dynamic proponent of the arts throughout the Cedar Valley and spearheads wcfsymphony’s wide-ranging community engagement initiatives. As likely to be found in an elementary school classroom as onstage or in a boardroom, Jason brings his natural ease with young people to wcfsymphony’s captivating concerts for kids."
- also from their home page

Lineup:
Jason Weinberger - conductor

Home page:
http://wcfsymphony.org/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/wcfsymphony/

Jason Weinberger's SoundCloud page:
https://soundcloud.com/jasonweinberger

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode39_201612/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20Episode%2039.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2016, Cedar Falls, Christmas, Christmas 2016, Christmas music, classical, Ep 039, Holidays,Holidays 2016, Jason Weinberger, jazz, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area,WCFSymphony

IMSC Ep 39 - Song 7: "Happy New Year" by Austin Taft

"Austin Taft is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist currently residing in Waterloo, IA. His new full-length acoustic album, 'The Human Condition', has been released by the independent label Triple Edge Records and joins his previous full-length electric release, 'War of the Songs of Light Against the Songs of Darkness' and two additional releases to weave a consistent tapestry of eclectic and deeply challenging music. Acclaimed as 'one of the best musicians in the state' by Des Moines Cityview Magazine, all studio recordings are entirely self-composed, self-produced and self-performed, and his music is currently available through Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon.com, Google Play and other online retailers."
- from his home page

Lineup:
Austin Taft - vocals, guitars

Home page:

http://www.austintaft.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/theaustintaftsoundtrack/

BandCamp:

https://austintaft.bandcamp.com/

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":

https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode39_201612/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20Episode%2039.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2011, Austin Taft, Christmas, Christmas 2016, Christmas music, Ep 039, Happy New Year (song), Holiday music, Holidays, Holidays 2016, rock music, singer/songwriter, Waterloo, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area