The 80th Annual Spring Tour of the Lebanon Valley College Concert Choir will be from Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 3, concluding with a Concert Choir performance on Sunday April 2 at 3 p.m. in the Lutz Recital Hall in Blair Music Center. There is no admission charge, but donations may be 
collected in support of the host churches’ music ministry.
This year’s program is titled “Genius Loci – The Spirit of a Place,” which is an ode to the ancient Romans, as they believed that some places were protected by a powerful spirit known as a “genius loci.” Today, the term genius loci is used to describe the overall essence and atmosphere of a specific place, rather than its protector deity. The music selected for this program is representative of the spirit of that place and metaphorically demonstrated through music.
The program opens with the LVC Chamber Choir’s rendition of Kalkadunga Yurdu. Following will be Down to the River to Pray originally composed by Philip Lawson. Next will will be Morten Lauridesen’s Two Fire Madrigals, Ove’é Lass’, Il Bel Viso and Se Per Haveri, Olime. Then Christian Johnson, baritone, will be performing Wade in the Water. Finally, the Chamber Choir will be wrapping up with Kentaro Sato’s Love on Fire.
The LVC Concert Choir will be following with Ben Allaway’s musical composition, Alelouya Sasa!, performed by Jimmy Ciccino, tenor. Next, the Concert Choir will be performing Two Brazilian Choral Works originally composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Ave Maria and Estrela e Lua Nova utilizing the beautiful voices of Kyra Lancaster, soprano, and Kara Hess, alto. The 64-voice group will go on to perform six more musical compositions before finishing out with The Lord Bless and Keep You, originally composed by Peter Lutkin.
Tour sites:
Thursday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.
Elm Park United Methodist Church
712 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 17101
Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m.
Pennington United Methodist Church
60 South Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534
With special guests, the Pennington Singers
Saturday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.
Epworth United Methodist Church
9008 Rosemont Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
With special guests, the Quince Orchard HS Chamber Singers
Sunday, April 3, 3:00 p.m.
Lutz Recital Hall in Blair Music Center
Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA 17003
(Concert Choir only)
Lebanon Valley College Chamber Choir
The LVC Chamber Choir is one of two auditioned mixed choral ensembles at LVC. Chamber Choir performs choral literature chosen from a broad range of styles and historical eras, but specialize in advanced a cappella choral music. In addition to regular appearances on campus, the LVC Chamber Choir performs throughout the Lebanon Valley at schools, churches, and other community events.
Lebanon Valley College Concert Choir
The Lebanon Valley College Concert Choir is the other of two auditioned mixed choral ensembles at LVC. Concert Choir has toured each year, primarily in the Northeast, since 1936. In addition, the choir has been heard on more than 30 national radio broadcasts including National Radio Pulpit and Great Choirs in America. The choir has performed with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and holds standing invitations to appear at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City. Other non-tour appearances have included the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree, the Festival of Lights at the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitor’s Center, performing with the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, and appearances before the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the Music Educators National Conference Eastern Division Convention in Washington, D.C. The choir has toured internationally to Eastern Europe (1973), Great Britain (1999), Italy (2001), Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary (2007), and Norway and Denmark (2011.)
About Matthew Erpelding
Dr. Matthew Erpelding is an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Lebanon Valley College, in Annville, PA, where he conducts the Concert and Chamber Choirs, and teaches courses in music education and choral conducting. Prior to his appointment at LVC, Dr. Erpelding was Director of Choral Activities at Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, New Jersey, as well as at Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford, Illinois. Additionally, Dr. Erpelding is a member of the conducting faculty at the Performing Arts Institute at Wyoming Seminary in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and is in frequent demand as a guest clinician and conductor. Dr. Erpelding was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, as well as a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Northern Illinois University. His conducting teachers include Timothy Stalter, Eric Johnson, Tim Peter, and Weston Noble. Dr. Erpelding is a member of both the American Choral Directors Association and NAfME: The National Association for Music Educators, and is currently serving as Multicultural and Ethnic Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Pennsylvania ACDA chapter. His original choral works are regularly performed throughout the world, and are published through Earthsongs Choral Music and Santa Barbara Music Publishing.