Rhymes With - Sangerfest - Dr. David Judisch

Sangerfest 2022, Photo: Beth Skogen

Dr. David Judisch, Director of the Luren Singing Society and Director in Chief for the Norwegian Singers Association of America joins us for this episode to talk about Sangerfest - and so much more! 

Sangerfest is a celebration and gathering of Norwegian Singing Societies from across the country that happens every two years in rotating venues across the upper midwest. The 2024 Sangerfest public concert will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at the Luther College CFL in Decorah, Iowa.

Since 1975, Dr. David Judisch has been the director of the Luren Singing Society, based in Decorah, and also serving as Director-in-Chief for the Norwegian Singers Association of America (NSAA) since 1984.

Dr. David & Gail Judisch, Vesterheim, Courtesy Luren Singers

Judisch earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa, and is Professor Emeritus of Music at Luther College where he was Professor of Music, Head of Voice and Opera, and Director of the Dorian Summer Music Camps. He was the recipient of the St. Olaf Medal by Norway’s King, His Majesty, King Harald V in 2016. A Eastern Iowa native, Judisch graduated from Wapsie Valley High School and followed his musical education at the University of Iowa. Under the guidance of professors such as Herald Stark, Judisch found opportunities that lead him to Luther College in the early 1970s. With a young family in tow, David quickly made inroads in the community via friends and coworkers like David Greedy, Weston Noble, and Jack Nelson – who in 1975 recruited him into the Norwegian Singing Society culture.

The Luren Singing Society continues to hold the torch along with a small handful of other groups from across the upper midwest to this great Norwegian-American tradition. The group continues past 155+ years of building community through voice, broadening repertoire, relationships, and membership. Multiple tours of Norway and Scandinavia have been mounted over the years including full ensemble tours in 1969, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2001, 2015, and 2023. The NSAA also featured group ensemble tours in 1995 and 2005, with performances across Scandinavia and Europe. Dr. Judisch recalls several notable concerts in this show, including Temppeliaukio Lutheran Church (Church in the Rock) in Helsinki, and countless performances in Norway. Assistant Director Douglas Poppen has also served the group since 2018.

The Luren Singing Society, Photo By Peterson Photography

We hope you enjoy this fantastic conversation with Dr. David Judisch, celebrating the rich and deep tradition of Norwegian Singing Societies, and the Sangerfest Celebration.

Find out more:
www.lurensingingsociety.com
www.nsaaonline.org

"Rhymes With..." is a companion podcast project of Inspire(d) Media - find us online at www.iloveinspired.com