2023-24 Performance Calendar
Department of
Music and Performing Arts
The performing arts are about more than stage presence. They’re about honoring our Creator. Join us for music and theatre performances all year long! Visit tickets.bethel.edu for ticket information.
Glorifying God and Serving Others Through the Performing Arts In the Music and Performing Arts Department at Bethel, we’ve developed majors and minors that allow students to sharpen their individual skills and follow their passions. We think that there’s no better preparation for a career in the arts than working with peers in ensembles, meeting one-on-one with professors to fine-tune technical skills, or stepping onto the stage for competition and performance. After all the private lessons, long hours in practice rooms, and dress rehearsals, students in the program leave ready for a lifetime of sharing their gifts. It’s about taking our faith in Christ and integrating it into everything we learn, into everything we do, so we can accomplish incredible things—in our careers, in our communities, and in our world. We invite you into the nuturing ground of our classrooms for the 2023-24 school year. In the following pages you will find information about our upcoming performances and have the opportunity to witness our gifted students exercising their God-given talents as we seek to honor our Creator and encourage your souls.
Fall 2023
Wind Symphony Fall Concert with Lindsay Flowers, Oboe Friday, October 27 - 7:30 p.m. Steven Thompson, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Chamber Orchestra Fall Concert Friday, October 20 - 7:30 p.m.
The Bethel Wind Symphony’s Fall concert features guest soloist Dr. Lindsay Flowers ‘07 on oboe . Dr. Flowers will also lead an oboe masterclass on Saturday, October 28. Contact Steven Thompson for additional information, s-thompson@bethel.edu.
Natasha Montzka, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
The Bethel Chamber Orchestra under the direction of newly appointed conductor Natasha Montzka, kicks off the 2023-24 concert season in the fabulous Benson Great Hall.
“Taste and See” Choral Ensembles Fall Concert Saturday, October 21 - 7:30 p.m. Bethel Choir - Merrin Guice Gill, Conductor Lucia Chorum- Nicole Lambrecht, Conductor Royal Register - Bradley Beale, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Join the Singing Royals Choirs for their Fall concert—Taste and See. Allow them to illuminate how good God is through the seeing, hearing, and experiencing of music in creative ways.
Jazz Orchestras Fall Concert Friday, November 3 - 7:30 p.m. Jason Harms, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Swing hard, swing often with the 11:12 and 5:40 Bethel Jazz Orchestras. Sit back, relax, and delight during an evening of great jazz standards highlighted by professional guest artists and outstanding Bethel student soloists.
So to Honor Him Bethel’s 67th Annual Festival of Christmas November 30 & December 1, 2 Benson Great Hall | Reserved Seating $23, $20 (Thu); $28, $25 (Fri/Sat) Bethel’s combined music ensembles joyfully offer their finest gifts in song to proclaim the good news of the newborn King. Come celebrate the beginning of Advent and the Christmas season in the beauty and splendor of Benson Great Hall. A fitting way to honor our Savior—let heaven and nature sing!
“Invite, Interpret, Inspire” Great Hall Choral Arts Festival Concert with Kyle Pederson Tuesday, November 7 - 7:30 p.m. Area High Schools & Bethel Choir Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Twin Cities-based award-winning composer Kyle Pederson will lead area high schools and the Bethel Choir in the 6th Great Hall Choral Arts Festival. Compositions by Pederson will be featured by the Bethel Choir and combined ensembles. Don’t miss these gifted student musicians and their artist conductors.
Performance Prize Recital Thursday, November 9 - 7:30 p.m. Benson Great Hall Free
Bethel’s finest student musicians perform while competing for monetary prizes before a panel of expert judges. Come listen to outstanding performances followed by a reception and the prize winners presentation.
Philharmonic Orchestra Fall Concert Saturday, November 11 - 7:30 p.m. Natasha Montzka, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Beauty and the Beast February 1-4, 2024 Benson Great Hall | Reserved Seating $20, $15, $10 Plan now to join us for a tale as old as time. Disney’s beloved musical, Beauty and the Beast, will be presented live onstage in Benson Great Hall. Don’t miss this enchanting production sure to delight the whole family.
The Bethel University Production of
The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
Spring 2024 Concerto/Aria Competition Recital Thursday, February 22 - 7:30 p.m. Benson Great Hall Free
Singers and instrumentalists compete for prize awards and the opportunity to perform with the Festival Orchestra at our Classics in the Great Hall performance in May. Come listen to the best that Bethel has to offer!
“A Closer Walk with Thee” Bethel Choir Spring Concert Saturday, March 23 - 7:30 p.m. Merrin Guice Gill, Conductor Emily Urban, Collaborative Pianist Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
The Bethel Choir offers choral selections on justice, kindness, and mercy to remind us that we seek God even in our steps and in the midst of our daily lives as we grow in our desire to walk humbly with our God.
Wind Symphony Spring Tour Home Concert Friday, March 22 - 7:30 p.m. Steven Thompson, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Fresh off the heels of their spring break tour, the Bethel Wind Symphony presents their spring tour home concert in Benson Great Hall. Come welcome the band back and be enthralled by some of the most thrilling and moving music written for wind band.
“Singing Through the Storm” Lucia Chorum & Royal Register Spring Concert Friday, April 5 - 7:30 p.m. Nicole Lambrecht & Bradley Beale, Conductors Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Chamber Orchestra Spring Concert Friday, April 12 - 7:30 p.m. Natasha Montzka, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens April 18-20, 25-27 - 7:30 p.m. April 21, 28 - 2:30 p.m. Sommer Schaap, Director Bethel Theatre General Admission - $16, $13, $10
The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens by Billy St. James. A murder mystery/comedy with audience interaction, great storm effects, spiffy costumes, and lots of other good stuff. Join us in the Bethel Theatre for an evening of fun and surprise provided by this delightful madcap mystery!
Jazz in the Great Hall Friday, May 3 - 7:30 p.m. Jason Harms, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $15, $5
The 5:40 Jazz Orchestra’s swingin’ an’ a boppin’ get you tappin’ your toes an’ a movin’ in your seats. And if the music doesn’t entertain you, director Jason Harms is sure to put a smile on your face!
Philharmonic Orchestra Spring Concert Saturday, April 27 - 7:30 p.m. Natasha Montzka, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Our community symphony orchestra presents well-known classics from the symphonic repertoire. Come hear these masterworks performed by the Philharmonic Orchestra in the fabulous acoustics of Benson Great Hall.
Handbell Ensemble Spring Concert Sunday, May 5 - 3 p.m. Kevin Shull, Conductor Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Opera and Musical Scenes Workshop Saturday, May 18 - 7:30 p.m. Benson Great Hall General Admission $10; Students Free
Students present solo and ensemble numbers from well-known operas and musicals in this delightfully entertaining night on Broadway and at the opera.
Requiem W.A. Mozart
Classics in the Great Hall Friday, May 10 - 7:30 p.m. Benson Great Hall General Admission $18, $5
Bethel’s Festival Choir and Orchestra present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s choral masterpiece – the Requiem in D Minor. Mozart’s Requiem has been a staple of the choral repertoire since its first publication in July 1800. The Requiem was his final work; he himself died before completing it. He was only 35. The Bethel Wind Symphony and our talented student Concerto/Aria Competition Winners round out an evening of music both sublime and inspirational. Don’t miss our last concert of the school year!
Ticket Information Online
Additional Information
Phone
• Tickets required for all events unless otherwise indicated.
tickets.bethel.edu 651.638.6333 (2-5 p.m., M-F)
In Person
• Group Discounts - Many performances offer discounts for groups of 10 or more. Contact the Ticket Office for pricing and availability.
Questions?
• All seating is general admission except for Festival of Christmas and Beauty and the Beast.
Ticket Office (2-5 p.m., M-F) Lundquist Community Life Center Lobby 651.638.6333 ticket-office@bethel.edu
Performance Venues
Benson Great Hall (Community Life Center) Bethel Theatre (Clauson Center) 3900 Bethel Drive Arden Hills, MN 55112
Learn more about all our performances:
bethel.edu/events/arts
• Bethel Theatre - Enter the Lundquist Community Life Center and follow signs. • Theatre patrons arriving later than 15 minutes before theatre performances may be unable to sit with their party. • Free parking is available for all performances in the West Parking Lot. • Directions to Bethel and campus maps may be found at maps.bethel.edu.
Music and Performing Arts at Bethel University Bethel’s Department of Music and Performing Arts is known for its commitment to excellence in teaching and the outstanding performance opportunities students receive both on campus and off. The distinguished faculty guide students through programs in music education, applied performance, music composition, and performing arts. In addition to bachelor of music degrees, a bachelor of arts degree in music is offered with emphases in vocal, instrumental, keyboard, or music composition. A minor in music is offered as well as our new interdisciplinary performing arts minor incorporating coursework and performance opportunities in music, theatre, media production, and communication. It’s also possible to combine a performing arts program with another major— including business, biblical and theological studies, English, or pre-music therapy. The Bethel Choir, Wind Symphony, and Chamber Orchestra tour extensively throughout the United States and abroad. These groups, along with Bethel’s other performance ensembles, perform together in Bethel’s annual Festival of Christmas, Jazz in the Great Hall, and Classics in the Great Hall concerts. The Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Register, Lucia Chorum, Jazz Orchestras, Handbell Ensemble, and string and wind chamber ensembles offer additional performance opportunities. Fully-staged musical theatre and opera productions are produced in Benson Great Hall during the January Interim session in alternating years and
annual theatre performances are presented in our black box theatre. Musical theatre and opera workshops provide additional acting and performance opportunities each spring. Bethel’s performance facilities for both music and theatre include the 1,700-seat Benson Great Hall, which is recognized as one of the finest performance halls in the Upper Midwest. With its 67-rank Blackinton Organ, Benson Great Hall is one of the few concert halls in the Twin Cities with a pipe organ. The Bethel Theatre is a black box theatre that seats 115-140 within a flexible space, allowing for diverse staging techniques and seating arrangements. Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education, with nearly 4,500 students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based on 247 wooded acres in St. Paul, Minnesota—and drawing recent students from all 50 states and 22 countries—Bethel offers bachelor’s and advanced degrees in over 100 areas of study. Educationally excellent classroom-based and online programs equip graduates to make exceptional contributions in life-long service to God and the world.
Music and Performing Arts at Bethel – Program Highlights Music Performance Scholarships
Each year the Department of Music and Performing Arts awards scholarships to high-potential students. If music is your passion and you desire to major in or be involved in music at Bethel, consider applying for Bethel’s music performance scholarship.
Extensive performance opportunities
Bethel provides extensive opportunity for all students—music majors and non-majors alike— in both large and small ensembles, including band, choirs, orchestra, jazz, handbells, opera, musicals, chamber ensembles, and more.
Renowned performance facilities
Bethel’s 1,700-seat Benson Great Hall, one of the finest concert halls in the Upper Midwest, attracts local and national performers to aid in your growth as a musician or actor.
National and international tours
Music ensembles tour within the U.S. and internationally giving you the opportunity to share God’s love and inspire others through performance.
Multi-disciplinary preparation
Because we’re a liberal arts institution, you’ll interact with a variety of disciplines, which prepares you for a multitude of careers. And with nearly 300 university students involved in ensembles, your experiences will be rich and diverse.
Talented faculty
Professors are passionate, innovative teachers, as well as talented artists in their own right. From private lessons to music theory classes, honoring God with our talents and discipline is at the core of what we do.
Music competitions
We sponsor two student competitions each year, offering you top-level performance preparation and scholarship opportunities.
Excellent career placement
Nearly all of our recent music education grads who actively seek teaching positions have been placed in jobs throughout Minnesota and the nation.
MAJORS - Music | Music Education | Applied Performance
Students prepare for professional careers in a variety of industries and graduate programs in fields ranging from performance to music therapy to education.
MINORS - Music | Media and Performing Arts
Our new media and performing arts minor allows you to follow your passion for performance while advancing your technical skills. Your classes and performing opportunities include a variety of subjects, including media production, communication, acting, musical theatre, and opera—so you’ll be equipped to not only tell meaningful stories, but produce them as well.
PROGRAMS - Music Performance Endorsement | Pre-Music Therapy
With the music performance endorsement, you’ll grow your creative abilities beyond your academic discipline. Our pre-music therapy program will prepare you for graduate coursework to become a registered music therapist.
Bethel is a private Christian university in St. Paul, Minnesota. We offer face-to-face and online programs in more than 100 areas of study, where students find space to belong and become the people God calls them to be. Learn more at bethel.edu/music