F. Melius Christiansen Lifetime Achievement Award

Established in 1973, this award is for members who have:

Lifelong conducting experience providing outstanding contributions and distinguished service to choral music in Minnesota.
Significant and noteworthy accomplishments that embody the distinction and significance of the
name “F. Melius Christiansen,” founder and director of the St. Olaf Choir.


	2011 - Axel Theimer Area: Collegiate, Professional Choral Director at St. John's University since 1969 Artistic Director of Kantorei Executive Director of Voice Care Network Guest Conductor • Clinician • Adjudicator Full Bio
	2010 - Carl Lipke Area: High School, MN State HS League Choral Director at North St. Paul High School for 39 years Choral Director of 3M Music Makers for 25 years Music Consultant for MSHSL since 1971 President of ACDA of Minnesota, 1969-70 Chair of FMC Endowment Committee Full Bio
	2008 - Jan Gilbertson Area: High School, Church Director at Park High School, St. Paul Park, 1966-1994 Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, since 1988 MMEA President and Choral Vice President Guest Conductor • Clinician • Adjudicator Singer and Organist Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	2007 - Bruce W. Becker Area: High School, Church Choral Director at Apple Valley High School, 1986-2007 State and Division ACDA president Program Chair for NC-ACDA Division Convention, 1998 Program Chair for Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music, 2002 Coordinator of 125th and 135th FMC Anniversary Concerts First Executive Director for ACDA of Minnesota begun in 2009 Full Bio
	2006 - Sigrid Johnson Area: College Conductor of St. Olaf College Manitou Singers since 1983 Associate Conductor of VocalEssence Former Associate Conductor of the Dale Warland Singers Voice Instructor Active guest clinician and conductor Full Bio
	2005 - Steven O. Boehlke Area: High School Choral Director at Rosemount High School, 1976-2000 35 years in church music State and Division ACDA president ACDA & MMEA Choral Director of the Year “Distinguished Teacher” designation by White House Commission MMEA Hall of Fame Founding Director of Minnesota Valley Men’s Chorale Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	2004 - Robert D. Mix Area: High School Choral director at Duluth East High School, 1960-1987 34 years in public school music education 5 European concert tours Bass soloist in cantatas and operas in Duluth Appearances at both ACDA and MMEA North Central Conventions Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	2003 - Diana J. Leland Area: Junior/Senior High School Choral director at Valley View Middle School & Edina High School, 1974-2005 State, Division, and National ACDA President Served on Board of Directors for IFCM First general manager of the Dale Warland Singers Member of Chorus America Recipient of the 2008 NC-ACDA Weston Noble Award First Director of Development for ACDA-MN Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	2002 - Karle J. Erickson Area: College, Professional Founder and Director of World Voices, 1996-2009 Leader in the performance of multi-cultural music Choral Director at Gustavus Adolphus College, 1980-1995 National and international conductor and clinician Wrote Choral Warmups from A to Z ACDA division president Full Bio
	2001 - Katherine Doepke Area: Junior High School Taught junior high school music in Minneapolis Public Schools, 1963-1983 Active in church music and other church organizations Served as secretary-treasurer for ACDA of Minnesota Organized three divisional and national junior high honor choirs Active in Thursday Musical and many other music organizations Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	2000 - Wayne M. Kivell Area: High School, Community Choral director at Northfield High School, 1969-1994 Founder and director of I Cantanti Chamber Choir ACDA state and division president First Executive Secretary for ACDA of Minnesota, 1997-2009 Clinician and adjudicator Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1999 - Larry L. Fleming (1936-2003) Area: Professional, College Founder and Director of the National Lutheran Choir, 1986-1999 Advanced degrees in composition, conducting and musicology Directed choirs at Valparaiso University Concordia College, Augsburg College Well-known composer and arranger Editor of NLC Choral Series with Augsburg-Fortress Press Full Bio
	1998 - Philip Brunelle Area: Professional, Church Founder and Artistic Director of Plymouth Music Series/VocalEssence since 1969 Well known as a conductor in the United States and around the world Known for creative programming in contemporary repertoire Served on the National Council for the Arts Honorary doctorates from four Minnesota institutions Board Member, International Federation for Choral Music President, Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music – Minneapolis, 2002 Full Bio
	1996 - Richard Edstrom Area: High School Director of Choirs at Armstrong High School, 1970-78; 1986-95 Director of Choirs at Northwestern College, 1978-1985 Initiated madrigal festival for high school singers Active as a tenor soloist Member of ACDA-MN Board of Directors for 9 years ACDA-MN State Treasurer Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1995 - Robert Scholz Area: College Director of St. Olaf College Chapel Choir & Viking Chorus, 1968-2005 Composer and arranger Teacher of voice, choral conducting, and choral literature Choral clinician and festival director Active in ACDA, NATS, and American Composer’s Forum Full Bio
	1994 - Paul Brandvik Area: College Director of the Bemidji State University Choirs, 1967-1998 Guest conductor of All-State Choirs and International festivals Directed Bemidji Choir at ACDA, MENC, Europa Cantat, and Zimriya Composer • Arranger • Editor Author of The Compleete Madrigal Dinner Booke Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1993 - Dale Warland Area: Professional, College Founder and Director of the Dale Warland Singers, 1972-2004 Champion of 20^th century choral music through Performances and commissions Director of the Macalester College Choir, 1967-1985 Choral composer and arranger Clinician and guest director in American and Europe Recipient of 2010 NC-ACDA Weston Noble Award Full Bio
	1992 - Alice T. Larsen (1929-2004) Area: College Director of Manitou Singers, St. Olaf College, 1955-1983 Taught at St. Olaf for 34 years Outstanding voice instructor; Expert in tone production and vocal pedagogy Contralto soloist Clinician • Adjudicator • Guest Conductor Full Bio
	1991 - Roger Tenney Area: High School Choral Director at Owatonna High School, 1960-1992 National Teacher of the Year in 1967 Clinician and festival choir director Twice President for ACDA of Minnesota MMEA Choral Educator of the Year, 1989 Chair, FMC Endowment Fund Committee, 1996-2007 Full Bio
	1990 - Geneva Eschweiler Area: Community College Voice Teacher and Choral Director at Fergus Falls Community College, 1962-1993 43 years of service to the Fergus Falls area Director of summer music theatre Noted voice teacher and members of NATS Active in ACDA as district chair, state secretary and R&S Chair for community colleges Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1989 - Kenneth L. Jennings Area: College Conductor, St. Olaf Choir, 1968-1990 International tours continued the heritage Composer • Arranger • Lecturer Published works include Sing Legato warm up book Noted for innovative programming and concerted works Full Bio
	1988 - Arnold F. Caswell (1922-1988) Area: College, Music Education Professor of Music, University of Minnesota Performer • Clarinet • Recorder • Bassoon • Renaissance Reeds Quarter for Young Audiences Author of educational articles Early Music Quartet, vocalist Full Bio
	1986 - Murrae N. Freng Area: High School ACDA Charter Member, 1959 Clinician • Adjudicator Music/Speech Director, Minnesota High School League, 1965-1970 Executive Director, Minnesota State High School League, 1970-1985 Editor – MMEA Gopher Music Notes President – MMEA MSHSL and MMEA Hall of Fame Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1985 - Ronald A. Nelson Area: Church Director of Music and Choir School Westwood Lutheran Church, St. Louis Park, 1955-1992 Composer • Arranger • Clinician Lutheran Book of Worship Hymn Music Committee Board member, National Choristers Guild Twin City Choirmasters Association Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1984 - Robert Holliday (1907-1994) Area: College Director, Hamline University Choir, 1942-1971 Noted for performing works of Ernst Krenek, who was chairman of the Hamline Music Department 1967 Latin American Choir Tour, sponsored by U.S. State Department Full Bio
	1983 - Curtis E. Hansen (1920-2011) Area: High School, Publishing One of six original founders of ACDA in 1959 One of 100 charter members in the nation National Vice President for ACDA in 1960-61 MMEA Vice President & President Editor, Schmitt Hall & McCreary Founder, President, Editor of Curtis Music Press Clinician • Conductor Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1982 - Harry P. Opel (1921-2002) Area: Church, High School Director, Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1948-1985 Minister of Music, First Covenant Church, St. Paul Bass-baritone soloist in oratorio and opera Vocal coach • Choral Clinician Full Bio
	1981 - A.B. (Bud) Engen (1919-2006) Area: High School Choral Director at White Bear Lake High School, 1959-1984 Church choir director, 23 years MMEA Secretary/Treasurer Director of New Heritage Singers & Lutheran Brotherhood Singers Member, FMC Endowment Fund Committee Full Bio
	1980 - Elias J. Halling (1906-1990) Area: College Choral Director, Chairman of Music Department, Dean Mankato State University – 1936-1974 MSU Recital Hall named after him Taught in several Minnesota high schools Full Bio
	1979 - Carl O. Thompson (1906-1983) Area: College Choral Director, Bemidji State College, 1937-1967 Formed a cappella choir, Civic Oratorio Society Lutheran Campus Center in Bemidji President of MMEA Lecturer, 20 years at Paul Christiansen Choral Schools Clinician and Editor, 55 Art Songs Full Bio
	1978 - Paul J. Christiansen (1914-1997) Area: College Conductor, Concordia Choir, 1937-1986 Composer • Arranger • Clinician Paul Christiansen Choral Schools International tours continued the heritage Full Bio
	1977 - C. Wesley Andersen (1907-1998) Area: Church, School Music Consultant, Minneapolis Public Schools, 1957-1972 Vocal Director Minneapolis Roosevelt High School, 1933-1957 DMA in Musicology and Organ Performance at age 75 Church organist for 50 years Memoirs: From the Kitchen Table to Organ Bench Full Bio
	1976 - Olaf C. Christiansen (1901-1984) Area: College Conductor, St. Olaf Choir, 1941-1968 Composer • Arranger • Clinician Clinician at Paul Christiansen Choral Schools International tours continued the heritage Full Bio
	1975 - Edith Norberg (1907-1978) Area: Children, Church Minister of Music, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, 1950-1969 Founder and Director, the Carillon Choristers First U.S. children’s choir to place in 30 years at International Musical Eisteddfod, Wales, competition Full Bio
	1974 - Leland B. Sateren (1913-2007) Area: College First recipient of this award Conductor, Augsburg Choir, 1946-79 Composer • Arranger • Writer Sateren Choral Workshops Conductor, The Sateren Choir Full Bio