St. Olaf Choir & Anton Armstrong
Biography St. Olaf Choir & Anton Armstrong
St. Olaf Choir
For more than a century, the St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Dr. Anton Armstrong, has set the gold standard for choral singing, performing for millions around the world. Composed of 75 mixed voices, the St. Olaf Choir is hailed as one of the nation’s premier a cappella ensembles, renowned for its artistry and beauty of sound. The St. Olaf Choir was founded in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, whose work established the ensemble’s standard of excellence and its tradition of bringing music to audiences outside of campus. Christiansen chose spiritually profound music and pushed student musicians to perfect a tone that was disciplined, controlled, and free of excessive vibrato. That sound — securely in tune, controlled in pitch, smooth in delivery — became the choir’s hallmark.
When Armstrong took the helm in 1990, his vast knowledge of music and his ability to articulate a vision to singers and audiences alike took the St. Olaf Choir to the next level, adding more flavor to its signature sound and further expanding its repertoire to include music of the Pacific Rim, Africa, and Latin America. Under Armstrong’s leadership, the choir continues to expand its touring horizons, engaging capacity audiences in major concert halls throughout the United States and worldwide. The ensemble has toured internationally 15 times. Most recently, in June 2019, the St. Olaf Choir toured Norway for two weeks with the St. Olaf Orchestra.
Dr. Anton Armstrong
Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, became the fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University. He is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Publishers. In June 1998, he began his tenure as founding conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy.
In January 2006, Baylor University selected Anton Armstrong from a field of 118 distinguished nominees to receive the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching and spent February–June 2007 in residency at Baylor University as a visiting professor. In October 2009, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University. In June 2013, Dr. Armstrong received the Saltzman Award from the Oregon Bach Festival. The festival’s highest honor, the Saltzman Award is bestowed upon individuals who have provided exceptional levels of leadership to the organization. Dr. Armstrong is a highly sought-after clinician and guest conductor, and works with many of the world’s most prestigious organizations and ensembles.
