Each year in early December, thousands of alumni, parents and guests arrive on campus; Norwegian sweaters, lutefisk, and "Beautiful Savior" become buzzwords in conversation; and hundreds of student musicians come together to continue one of Americas best-loved musical holiday traditions.
Boe Memorial Chapel is the physical and spiritual center of campus, as well as the site of many concerts, lectures and organ rehearsals. Most members of the St. Olaf community can probably recall entering the chapel and noticing its stained glass windows, but many have not taken the time to truly examine them. The windows are so replete with stories that they may take some study before one can appreciate their beauty and meaning.
On the snowy evening of Nov. 22, the St. Olaf Valhalla Band, a student-run ensemble of about 50 members, performed a concert of new and traditional band music in Boe Chapel. Conducted primarily by Erin Vork 04 and Dominic Hartjes 05, the program featured theme music from several popular films and TV shows as well as the premiere of Light of Olympus, a new work by Carl Holmquist 05.
