Northwest’s Tower Choir to present concert at Conception Abbey

Northwest Missouri State University’s Tower Choir will return to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Conception Abbey to present a concert on Sunday, April 3.

The Tower Choir is under the direction of Dr. Stephen Town, a professor of music at Northwest who is retiring this spring after 36 years of service at the university. Organist Dr. Sean Vogt will join them as a guest artist.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, begins at 3 pm.

“To hear music presented in the architectural wonder of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Conception Abbey is an extraordinary opportunity,” Town said. “The structure is vast and possesses a long reverberation that enhances the compositional beauty of all pieces.”

He added, “It is a remarkable opportunity for the choral students to work with an artist of the caliber of Dr. Vogt. Not only is he a splendid organist, with degrees and certificates to underline the musicianship of his playing, but also he is a choral conductor who understands how to collaborate with keyboardists. There is a real possibility that this concert will be long remembered for the beauty of the music, the sensitivity of the singers and the visual aesthetic of the Basilica.”

The program includes Dieterich Buxtehude’s “Praeludium in D,” Charles Wood’s “God Omnipotent Reigneth,” Francis Poulenc’s “Exultate Deo,” Elaine Hagenberg’s “O Love,” Hubert Parry’s “There is an Old Belief,” Herbert Howells’ “My Eyes for Beauty Pine,” Eric Nelson’s “What Does the Lord Require,” David Conte’s “Nunc Dimittis,” Carlyle Sharpe’s “Laudate Nomen” and Dan Loclair’s “The Peace May Be Exchanged.”