St. Olaf to host Sing For Joy hymn festival Sunday

St. Olaf College will host a Sing For Joy hymn festival, "We Sing Our Story: A Sing For Joy Hymn Festival," Sunday, July 12, 7:30-9 p.m. in Boe Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public and will be streamed live and archived at stolaf.edu.

The festival, patterned after the Sing For Joy radio program, will feature music and commentary tied to the themes of the church year. It is the opening festival of the annual conference of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada at St. Olaf through July 16. The festival will feature St. Olaf College Organist and Sing For Joy music advisor John Ferguson, St. Olaf College Pastor and Sing For Joy program host Bruce Benson, the a cappella ensemble Magnum Chorum conducted by St. Olaf faculty member Christopher Aspaas '95, and the Northfield Youth Choirs conducted by Elizabeth Shepley and Karen Lutgen.

Earlier on Sunday, at 4 p.m., St. Olaf College Artist in Residence Catherine Rodland will perform an organ recital on the Holtkamp organ in Boe as part of the opening festivities of the conference.

In addition to the festival, the organ recital and other events from the Hymn Society conference will be streamed live and archived at stolaf.edu.