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Samuel Yoon, of Albert Lea, sang with the Wartburg Choir at the American Choral Directors Association Midwestern Conference on Thursday at Harris Theater in Chicago.

The choir was selected by a two-tiered, blind audition where the screening committee does not know the identity of the choir or conductor. Each choir must submit recordings of past choral performances from the previous three years. The Wartburg Choir was one of only 20 ensembles selected from the more than 120 that applied.

“Being selected to perform at a divisional conference is a tremendous honor, especially in regard to the many amazing choral programs throughout the Midwest,” said Lee Nelson, director of Wartburg College choral activities and Wartburg Choir conductor. “I credit Wartburg Choir students’ dedication and unwavering work ethic from the last three years who made this performance possible for us. The students and I are both humbled and grateful to have this opportunity.”

The program featured pieces by Vytautas Miskinis, Ily Matthew Maniano, Jacob Narverud and Ryan Main, Abbie Betinis, Ruthie Foster and Reena Esmail.

“Our performance (focused) on the collective human journey seeking transcendence,” Nelson said. “Transcendence comes from the Latin prefix trans-, meaning ‘beyond,’ and the word scandare, meaning ‘to climb.’ When one achieves transcendence, they have surpassed ordinary limitations. Amidst the joys and the pain, the gratefulness and grief, divisiveness, and despair we have experienced in our world, may each of us seek to transcend. Transcend as individuals and as a society who sustains, uplifts, and empowers.”

The conference brought together choral directors from all school levels —elementary through college, public and private — in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Founded in 1937, the internationally acclaimed Wartburg Choir performs sacred music from all historical periods and styles and often collaborates with contemporary composers. Choir members are chosen by audition and represent various academic disciplines on campus. Wartburg Choir is a story of dedicated service and learning, told by scores of choir members who have truly learned what it means to be a servant leader. Their experiences create a rich testimony of the choir’s ongoing purpose and passion over the past 85 years.

Wartburg, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized for community engagement, enrolls 1,543 students. Wartburg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and named after the castle in Germany where Martin Luther took refuge disguised as a knight during the stormy days of the Reformation while translating the Bible from Greek into German.