Classical Concert Reviews Cinci

What a delight to have @concordiachoir perform at @christchurchcathedralcincy as part of their 2026 tour of the northeast and Midwest. I have a firm belief that Lutheran college choirs rank as some of the finest in the world, both for their purity of sound and the sheer level of artistry they bring to any piece they sing, whether Baroque, Romantic or contemporary. Under the direction of conductor Michael Culloton with assistance from collaborative pianist Andrew Steinberg, all three of these repertoire styles shone through in equal measure.
Some were works that have long been mainstays of Lutheran choirs, such as F. Melius Christiansen’s arrangements of the hymns O Day Full of Grace and Beautiful Savior and the Johann Sebastian Bach motet Fürchte dich nicht. Others were new discoveries or otherwise new works written with this ensemble in mind. Cedric Dent’s arrangement of the spiritual He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands, John Rutter’s Hymn to the Creator of Light, René Clausen’s Canticle of Praise, Tim Takach’s Earth (Only Here) and Laura Jekabsone’s Father Thunder (based on a Latvian folk song about the Baltic god of thunder Pērkontēvs) were some of the best examples.
It is rare to find such a nationally-renowned collegiate ensemble whose members let their musicianship shine through in every conceivable way, and maestro Culloton brought those to the forefront throughout the evening. Their collective vocal timbre was one which possessed transcendent, luminous grace, elemental force and pure, unadulterated passion, which to me seems to be the standard all Lutheran choirs (including Concordia and St. Olaf Colleges) seem to live by day after day, year after year.
I certainly hope this fine group of fabulous musicians comes back to the Queen City soon, as they have added a jewel to the choral music crown that is the City That Sings.