Today's audio comes from the St. Croix Lutheran School Croixaliers, directed by Casey Pufahl.
7:15 a.m. — Jackson Berkey: Ascendit Deus
7:15 p.m. — Eric Whitacre: Lux Arumque
Online only — Morten Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium
Where words leave off, music begins.
These are the wise words of Heinrich Heine — the 19th century German writer whose poems were set to music by both Schumann and Schubert. The Croixaliers (Kroy-uh-LEERz) — a chamber choir of 24 students from St. Croix Lutheran High School in West Saint Paul — take this philosophy to heart, embracing unfamiliar and challenging music as an expression of their dedicated musicianship and their faith. From Tallis and Bach, to Paulus and Whitacre, they learn music from the Renaissance to the modern age, and study composers from across the pond as well as right here in Minnesota. They dedicate both their Monday evenings and Thursday mornings to rehearsing this diverse literature.
As the musical ambassadors for St. Croix Lutheran for the past 57 years, the Croixaliers tour every year around the Twin Cities, as well as outside of Minnesota. In fact, they will be performing at the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) Choral Festival in Watertown, S. Dak. later this week. They also compete every year at the regional Minnesota State High School League Solo and Ensemble contest and have received top ratings in the last eight years, including the "Best at Site" award.
In addition to helping them grow as musicians, the Croixaliers also see singing as a way of expressing their faith. Director Casey Pufahl says:
"As a Lutheran school, we teach about Jesus Christ and his amazing grace, which compelled Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. This news is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have the privilege to share that Gospel with others through music. Music, being a gift of God, possesses the power to illustrate complex truths in ways words may be unable..."
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