Winter Jazzfest and handbell performances ring in the season

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SEWARD, NE (11/28/2018) Concordia University, Nebraska's Winter Jazzfest will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7 at Hillcrest Evangelical Free Church in Seward.

The Concordia Jazz Band will perform "At First Light" arranged by Ellen Rowe and "Katy" by Sammy Nestico, along with pieces by Benny Goodman and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, to name a few. The Vocal Jazz Choir will also be performing a few pieces, including Anders Edenroth's brand new chart, "Since You've Been Gone" and "The Song of Purple Summer" by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik.

The Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II will perform at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 in the Music Center's Recital Hall on Concordia's campus.

The handbell choirs will perform Christmas pieces including "Good Christian Men Rejoice," "Ding, Dong, Merrily on High," "What Child is This?" and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Concordia Handbell Choir's CD, "Faithful," will also be available for purchase at the concert.

Additionally, the Concordia Handbell Choir will be participating in the Nebraska State Capitol's 70th Annual Tree Lighting at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9. The ceremony will be broadcast statewide on the radio. Tune in to KFOR FM 103.3 or 1240 AM to hear the ringers perform a few of their holiday pieces.

"Concordia Handbell Choir is excited to be part of the State Capitol Tree Lighting this year," said Jessica Kite, director of handbell choirs. "We look forward to sharing our Christmas handbell music with those in attendance and as it is broadcast over KFOR radio. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to represent Concordia University and familiarize new people with our excellent music program! We cannot wait to hear the sound of the handbells ringing in the Capitol Rotunda!"


Members of the Vocal Jazz Choir include (in alphabetical order by state, city, last name):

Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill., bass

Alex Kaldahl, junior, Spencer, Iowa, bass

Zachary Mueller, freshman, Frankenmuth, Mich., tenor

Sarah Mueller, senior, Hemlock, Mich., alto

Brooke Ann Duerr, freshman, Warren, Mich., alto

Vanessa Marsh, senior, Concordia, Mo., soprano

Megan Kroeker, sophomore, Henderson, Neb., soprano

Nicholle Harstad, freshman, Norfolk, Neb., alto

Shanda Fujan, sophomore, Oakland, Neb., soprano

Avery Kesar, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., bass

Christian Watters, sophomore, Panama, Neb., tenor

Noah Freeman, sophomore, Bend, Ore., tenor

David Schrampfer, senior, Appleton, Wis., bass


Members of the Jazz Ensemble include:

David Krueger, senior, Aurora, Colo., tenor saxophone

Daniel Hakes, senior, Erie, Colo., trombone

Gabriel Jofre, junior, Sterling, Colo., alto saxophone

Matthew Goltl, junior, Wichita, Kan., percussion

Jonathan Grant, senior, Waterloo, Ill., trumpet

Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, New Haven, Ind., bari saxophone

Joshua Smith, junior, Earlham, Iowa, piano

Zachary Mueller, freshman, Frankenmuth, Mich., trombone and bass

Sarah Armbrust, freshman, Ballwin, Mo., percussion

Jacob Mikkelson, junior, Bellevue, Neb., bass

Caleb Staehr, senior, Grand Island, Neb., tenor saxophone

Lukas Sollberger, sophomore, Louisville, Neb., trumpet

Thomas Johnson, senior, Omaha, Neb., alto saxophone

Rose Nigh, freshman, Omaha, Neb., tenor saxophone

Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet

Dalton Berry, sophomore, Seward, Neb., trumpet

Nolan Homp, sophomore, Seward, Neb., trombone

Shiloh Richters, sophomore, Utica, Neb., trumpet

Sarah Benz, sophomore, Campbellsport, Wis., alto saxophone

John Metzger, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., trombone


Members of the Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II include:

Sophie Thorsen, senior, Huntsville, Ala., Handbell Choir II

Breann Huber, junior, Arvada, Colo., Handbell Choir

Erin Johnson, sophomore, Brighton, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Joanna Sherrill, freshman, Lakewood, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Kylee Taylor, freshman, Westminster, Colo., Handbell Choir II

Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill., Handbell Choir

Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, New Haven, Ind., Handbell Choir II

Whitney Pottschmidt, junior, Seymour, Ind., Handbell Choir

Elizabeth Frakes, senior, Wichita, Kan., Handbell Choir

Hannah Davis, senior, Coon Rapids, Minn., Handbell Choir

Charlotte Lines, sophomore, Marshall, Mo., Handbell Choir II

Linnea Buchholz, sophomore, St. Charles, Mo., Handbell Choir II

Emily Thies, sophomore, St. Louis, Mo., Handbell Choir II

Allison Mackie, senior, Columbus, Neb., Handbell Choir

Nathan Klaumann, senior, Fairbury, Neb., Handbell Choir

Elizabeth Bergdolt, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Handbell Choir

Caleb Staehr, senior, Grand Island, Neb., Handbell Choir

Zachary Staehr, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Jonathan Rippe, senior, Gretna, Neb., Handbell Choir

Emily Wiese, freshman, Holdrege, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Aaron Ferguson, junior, Hyannis, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Stephanie Barry, junior, Omaha, Neb., Handbell Choir

Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., Handbell Choir II

Timothy Rasch, senior, Denton, Texas, Handbell Choir II

Rachel Dorn, senior, Houston, Texas, Handbell Choir

Cristina Sanchez, sophomore, La Grange, Texas, Handbell Choir II

Aaron Jackson, sophomore, Palestine, Texas, Handbell Choir

Victoria Cameron, junior, Kent, Wash., Handbell Choir


About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, that currently serves more than 2,500 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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