About St. Olaf Records

It was in 1903 that F. Melius Christiansen was hired to teach music and direct the band at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. A Norwegian immigrant with musical training in Leipzig, Germany, he served as organist at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield, which was considered the church of the college.

He reorganized the church choir in 1907, drawing the new membership from students and faculty at St. Olaf. His intent was to improve the quality of choral singing and reacquaint the church with its heritage of chorales and a cappella (unaccompanied) music.

Under his rigorous leadership the choir was soon presenting “song services” at St. Olaf College and in local churches, as well. In 1912, just before the choir’s first extended tour to neighboring Wisconsin, the name of the choir was changed from “St. John’s Church Choir” to the “St. Olaf Choir.”

Since its official founding as the St. Olaf Choir in 1912, the ensemble has maintained a standard of musical excellence that has been internationally recognized and acclaimed. During its early years (1912­1920), the St. Olaf Choir participated mostly in local events: weekly church services and special college functions. The first Christmas “song service” — a tradition which has continued throughout the years and now brings more than 15,000 people to campus — was presented in 1912. Christiansen’s musical training and his desire to provide an experience of intellectual and spiritual depth for the singers and the listeners were reflected in programs including J.S. Bach, the Russian choral masters, and leading German composers of the day. Norwegian music on the programs suggests that the St. Olaf Choir was a source of ethnic identity and pride. A tour to Norway in 1913 brought the St. Olaf Choir to its cultural “homeland” where many of the singers still had relatives.

A major event in the St. Olaf Choir’s expanding reputation was its tour to America’s east coast in 1920. Singing in New York and other leading music centers, the choir was widely acclaimed for its extraordinary performances of a cappella music. International recognition came with the St. Olaf Choir’s tour to Germany in 1930.

St. Olaf's musical legacy has been documented and preserved for over 60 years. St. Olaf Records' catalog now consists of over 30 recordings of various ensembles. The recording of various performances and ensembles assures the preservation of this great musical legacy created over almost 100 years.

Music Calendars

The St. Olaf Band, Choir and Orchestra — as well as many other St. Olaf music ensembles — perform regularly on campus and around the country. If you would like to attend a performance of one of the ensebles, view the St. Olaf College master music calendar, or view calendars from individual ensemble pages.

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