2026 Alumni Gathering
July 17-19, St. Olaf College
Return to Lutheran Summer Music for a joyful, multi-day Alumni Gathering that celebrates the music, faith, and community that shaped your LSM experience. Spend the weekend immersed in inspiring concerts and worship, singing alongside fellow alumni in the Alumni Choir, and sharing meals and receptions with LSM faculty, leadership, current students, and friends from across the years. Reconnect with familiar faces, make new connections, and once again experience the creativity, fellowship, and sense of belonging that makes LSM so transformative.
2026 Alumni Gathering Itinerary
Share your favorite memories from LSM, create new ones, and support the next generation of students by joining any of the following opportunities during the summer gathering:
Alumni Choir (offering music at Evening Prayer and Festival Worship)
Alumni Welcome Dinner
Alumni Reception
Worship Assistant Opportunities
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
Student Recitals
Festival Week Concerts (Musical Theatre, Jazz Ensemble, Band, Choir, and Orchestra)
Festival Worship
Dr. Anton Armstrong
2026 Alumni Choir Director
Come sing with fellow alumni and friends under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong, Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College and longtime conductor of the world-renowned St. Olaf Choir. Known internationally for his inspiring musicianship and generous leadership, Dr. Armstrong brings singers together through performances that are both artistically excellent and deeply meaningful. A highly sought-after conductor and clinician, he is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs and co-editor of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress. His honors include the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching and the Oregon Bach Festival’s Saltzman Award. A St. Olaf graduate himself, he holds advanced degrees from the University of Illinois and Michigan State University.
Registration
Registration is open to alumni, family, and friends of Lutheran Summer Music. Registration includes shared meals throughout the weekend—including the Friday Alumni Welcome Dinner, Saturday lunch, and the Saturday Board of Directors Reception—along with post-concert receptions, full participation in all Alumni Gathering activities, an LSM T-shirt, and coffee and refreshments. All other meals are on your own and may be purchased in the campus cafeteria, The Cage, or in Northfield.
By May 15: $75
By June 15: $100
By July 1: $125
LSM concerts and worship services are free and open to the public and do not require registration. Guests who wish to participate in Alumni Gathering activities, meals, and receptions must register individually.
Lodging is not included with registration. There is no on-campus housing available for the Alumni Gathering. Information about hotel room blocks and how to reserve accommodations is provided below.
Alumni Gathering 2025
Lodging
Lodging arrangements are made separately from Alumni Gathering registration. There is no on-campus housing available for the Alumni Gathering.
Lutheran Summer Music has reserved blocks of rooms at several local hotels for Festival Week (July 16–19, 2026). These rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are booked directly with each hotel. Reservation details, including booking links and group codes, are listed below.
In addition to these hotel blocks, there are many other lodging options in Northfield and the surrounding area, including hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and short-term rentals. Guests are welcome to make arrangements at the accommodations that best fit their needs.
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Fairfield Inn & Suites - Northfield, MN
1.5 miles from campus
Rate: $249/night
Last day to book: June 10, 2026
Amenities:
• Complimentary breakfast
• Complimentary parking
• Indoor: fitness area, pool
• Business center and board room
• Full-service bar / restaurant with patio overlooking the Cannon River
Reserve: using button below
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Country Inn & Suites - Northfield, MN
1.6 miles from campus
Rate: variable
July 15-16: $140/night
July 17-18: $210/night
Last day to book: June 15, 2026
Amenities:
• Complimentary breakfast
• Complimentary parking
• Indoor pool
• Business center
• Laundry
Reserve: using button below
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Holiday Inn & Suites - Lakeville, MN
19 miles from campus
Rate: variable by room $159-$214/night
Last day to book: June 15, 2026
Amenities:
• Complimentary parking for guests
• Indoor pool with waterslide and whirlpool/spa tub
• Fitness center
• On-site restaurant and bar (Rudy’s Red Eye Grill)
• Business center and meeting/board rooms
• Arcade/game room area (family-friendly)
Reserve: call directly at (952) 469-1134 or using button below with group code LSM.
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GrandStay Residential Suites - Faribault, MN
14 miles from campus
Rate: $159/night
Last day to book: May 15, 2026
Amenities:
• King suites with pullout couches for extra sleeping
• Full kitchen (except no oven); full size fridge
• Complimentary breakfast
• Outdoor: patio, grill, playground, bball hoop
• Indoor: adult pool, kids splash pad, hot tub
Reserve: call (507) 334-2888
Group Name: LSM Festival
Explore Northfield
Whether you’re looking to grab a cup of coffee between rehearsals, gather with friends after a concert, or explore one of Minnesota’s most charming historic downtowns, Northfield offers plenty to enjoy just steps from campus. Below are some local favorites—many alumni-approved—to help you make the most of your time in town during the Alumni Gathering.
Shopping & Local Finds
Sightseeing & Strolling
Sweets & Bakeries
Northfield, MN
Dr. Jacob Dalager
2026 Alumni Commission Composer
Lutheran Summer Music is thrilled to announce that Dr. Jacob Dalager (LSM 2004) has been selected for this year’s Alumni Composition Commission. An award-winning composer whose music bridges classical, jazz, and contemporary traditions, Dalager’s work is known for its rhythmic vitality, lyrical immediacy, and harmonic warmth, and has been performed by ensembles across the United States and internationally. His commissioned work will receive its world premiere at Lutheran Summer Music 2026.
The Alumni Composition Commission is part of LSM’s ongoing commitment to support its alumni and champion the creation of new music. Following its premiere, Dr. Dalager’s work will be made available for free download through The LSM Press, extending the reach of the commission to musicians and ensembles around the world.
2026 Alumni Award Nominations Open
Help Us Celebrate an Outstanding LSM Alum
The LSM Alumni Award recognizes an alum who has made significant contributions to their community, church, or society at large. This honor celebrates alumni whose accomplishments, vocations, affiliations, and service have positively shaped our world and reflect the enduring spirit of Lutheran Summer Music. Nominations for the 2026 Alumni Award are open through April 30, 2026.
