Norway’s tenThing Brass Ensemble to perform March 7 for Luther College’s Center Stage Series

DECORAH, IOWA—The all-women tenThing Brass Ensemble will perform for Luther’s Center Stage Series at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The award-winning Norwegian ensemble will stop at Luther as part of their tour across the East Coast and Midwest. The event is co-sponsored by Luther’s Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies. 

Led by renowned trumpet player Tine Thing Helseth, the ensemble will premiere a new piece by American composer Jennifer Higdon titled “Ten of Hearts,” written for tenThing and co-commissioned by Luther College. 

The performance coincides with Luther’s celebration of Women’s History Month throughout March and will highlight the work of many women composers, including Agathe Backer, Lili Boulanger, Ruth Crawford Seeger and Grażyna Bacewicz.

In addition, the performance will include a diverse repertoire by composers including Bernstein, Bartok and Grieg.

“I have so much admiration for Tine Thing Helseth,” said Kristen Underwood, director of campus programming. “I love her creative and open-minded approach to the usual boundaries of genre. She took second place in Eurovision’s Young Musician category then went on to become a Eurovision juror. She was the first classical musician to win Newcomer of the Year at the Norwegian Grammy Awards. Her ensemble and her repertoire are proof of her commitment to lifting up women. Plus, of course, she’s an amazing musician.”

Founded in 2007, tenThing has risen to international acclaim since its formation. The ensemble will release their second album “She Composes like a Man” in April; Helseth’s most recent solo album “Seraph” is available to stream or purchase. 

Center Stage Dinner Series

The talented chefs of the Norse Culinary Team are back with the popular Center Stage Dinner Series. The dinners feature a multicourse menu to complement each performance. A separate ticket is required; the menu for March 7 can be viewed at tickets.luther.edu. Dinner seating begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Peace Dining Room on the second floor of Dahl Centennial Union.

Both dinner and show tickets are on sale through Luther’s Ticket Office in the Center for Faith and Life, online or by calling (563) 387-1357.

About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.