Luren Singing Society to perform in Iowa

The First Luren Singers On March 17, 1868, four homesick Norwegian immigrants began to sing together regularly, taking the name “Luren” and planting the roots of the Luren Singing Society. Photo: Lurensingers.com

The Keokuk Concert Association presents the Luren Singing Society at 3 p.m. Sunday Oct. 25 at the Grand Theatre, 26 N. Sixth St., Keokuk, Iowa.

This concert is the first of the 2009-2010 series and is partially underwritten by State Central Bank in Keokuk.

The Norwegian-American Male Chorus from Decorah often performs in churches and community centers throughout Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The chorus toured Norway in 1969, 1973, 1983 and in 1993 when they sang for the king in his royal palace in Oslo.

Their last tour was to northern Norway in June 2001. The Luren Singers will be one of 11 Norwegian-American Male Choruses participating at Sangerfest June 24-25, 2010, in Madison, Wis.,

Dr. David Judisch has been the director of the Luren Singers since 1975. He is a professor of music and head of voice and opera at Luther College in Decorah.

For the last 18 years he has directed the Dorian Summer Music Camps at Luther and is managing director of the Dorian Opera Theatre.

Bernard Gluth has been the Assistant Director of Luren since 1972, and is the chair of Luren’s Music Committee. He taught instrumental music for 29 years. Luren Singing Society members live in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The group traces its beginnings to 1868 when four young Norwegian immigrants started a quartet to preserve memories of music from their native land.They are the oldest Norwegian-American male chorus in continuous existence in the United States.

Memberships to the 2009-2010 concert series is open to the public and will be available at the theater prior to the performance. A family subscription is $90, single is $40 and student is $10. Subscriptions are for admission, not only to the Keokuk Concert Association series, but also to as many as 16 concerts in the cities of Pekin and Quincy, Ill., Hannibal, Mo., and Fairfield and Washington.

Log on to the Keokuk Concert Association Web site at keokukconcertassociation.org, call Anne at 524-8405 or Helen at 524-7818 for more information.

Red more about the chorus on Lurensiners.com