Alum Elizabeth Pemberton (LSM 1984-1986) will share a vocal recital on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 2:30 PM at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, MN. A longtime member of the Cathedral’s music ministry, Elizabeth will be joined by guest artists in a program featuring works by Purcell, Mozart, Schubert, and Vaughan Williams.

Congratulations to Aiden Kocian (LSM Voice Fellow 2025) on his acceptance into the prestigious choral conducting graduate program at Northwestern University! This fall, Aiden will begin his studies under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Megill and Dr. A.J. Keller.

Dr. Shannon Gravelle, LSM Festival Choir Director, was recently featured by Lawrence University for her work as a conductor, educator, and advocate for inclusive choral practices. As co-director of choral studies at Lawrence, she’s passionate about uplifting underrepresented voices through repertoire and mentorship.

This past Friday, Thomas (LSM 2021–25) got the chance to "pit sit" with Tali Duckworth (LSM 2018), who’s currently playing trumpet in the traveling Broadway production of Mean Girls. The two trumpet-playing LSM alums shared a fun moment at the Ordway in St. Paul, where Tali was performing. Tali is a senior at USC, and Thomas is a senior in high school.

This past weekend, Thomas (LSM 2021–25), Kaleb (LSM 2023–25), and current Concordia student Raynie (LSM 2024) reunited at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN for the 2025 Concordia High School Honor Band! It was a weekend full of music and community, capped off by fantastic Sunday performances from both the High School Honor Band and the Concordia Band. Oh, and did we mention? They're all trumpet players!

Dr. Shannon Gravelle (Festival Choir) and Julian Goods (Voice Faculty) crossed paths not once, but twice at the National ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Conference in Dallas! Their surprise reunions were a joyful reminder of the musical community that connects us all—and they’re both counting down the days until LSM 2025!

Dr. Jeffrey Scott Doebler (LSM Festival Band) will lead the 27th Annual Sousa Tribute Concert on Saturday, April 26 at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the Resurrection at Valparaiso University. The concert features the Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band, Luce Concert Band, and Chamber Concert Band, in a celebration of John Philip Sousa’s enduring musical legacy.

The Concordia Lutheran High School Choir from Fort Wayne, Indiana, is on the road! Their tour through Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska included a special stop at Valparaiso University. They explored the campus, learned about the music programs, and shared their voices in the incredible Chapel of the Resurrection.

Alma Neuhaus (LSM 2011–2013) recently returned to her hometown of Minneapolis, MN, to perform in the Bethlehem Music Series. Now a member of the Vienna State Opera, Alma captivated the audience with her artistry and shared a heartfelt reflection on how she discovered her calling as a singer—crediting her time at Lutheran Summer Music as a pivotal moment in her journey.

Congratulations to Lydia Gruenwald (LSM 2017–2018) and Mark Severtson (LSM Fellow 2023) on being named semifinalists for the prestigious 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program!

Congratulations to LSM student Shelby (LSM 2023, 2024, & upcoming 2025) on participating in the West Virginia All-State High School Orchestra this past weekend in Charleston, WV! We are proud to see our musicians continue to excel and share their talents at the highest levels. Well done, Shelby!

LSM Oboe Faculty Austin Smith recently performed in two incredible concerts! He had the honor of playing a double oboe concerto with the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra alongside Titus Underwood—his teacher’s successor at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He also performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in a breathtaking rendition of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto featuring Yo-Yo Ma.

What a joy to see so many LSM alumni, staff, and students come together for a Hymn Festival at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Roseville, MN! Organist David Cherwien (LSM Faculty 2024) and Jennifer Baker-Trinity (LSM 1992-1994) led the festival, which featured LSM alumni and students among the instrumentalists.

The LSM community mourns the passing of Dr. Lorraine Brugh (1952 + 2025), a beloved faculty member and mentor. Dr. Brugh served LSM as Chapel Choir Director and Organ Faculty in 2000 and 2001, returning as Organ Faculty in 2016. Her musical leadership and deep commitment to worship left a lasting impact on countless students and colleagues, both at LSM and among the several LSM alumni who studied with her at Valparaiso University.

Dr. Brandon Dean, Conductor of the Gustavus Choir (LSM Festival Choir Director, 2018), will lead the Gustavus Choir alongside the internationally acclaimed VOCES8 in two captivating performances on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 7:00 PM CT in Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College.

LSM collegiate partner Waldorf University will host its annual Community Masterwork Festival, bringing young musicians of all levels together to perform great repertoire. This year’s festival will feature Dvořák’s Te Deum, on March 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Boman Fine Arts Center in Forest City, IA.

LSM alumni Eric Sayre (LSM 2004, 2005) and Erin Bonawitz Roe (LSM 2004, 2005) recently reunited for a weekend filled with music and memories, celebrating two decades of friendship that began at LSM 2004! Both went on to major in music at St. Olaf College and have stayed connected ever since, grateful for the lifelong community LSM fostered. Their story is a testament to the enduring bonds formed through music and faith at LSM.

The Windiana Concert Band, directed by Dr. Jeffrey Scott Doebler (LSM Festival Band), recently celebrated its 25th season with an inspiring tour of Costa Rica. This marked Windiana’s 15th tour and included performances in La Fortuna, Punta Leona, and the breathtaking Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Cartago.

LSM is honored to announce a $5,000 grant from the First Citizens Bank Charitable Foundation in Mason City, Iowa, given to LSM in honor of Charles Sukup’s board service to the bank. Charles is a former LSM Board member and the 2023 Dr. Carlos Messerli Service Award recipient.

On Friday, January 17, LSM Cantor Chad Fothergill and past LSM Chapel Choir conductor Zebulon Highben joined musicians and worship leaders at Duke Divinity School’s Goodson Chapel for an extraordinary 11-hour event: the praying of all 150 Psalms!