SWAG��Ƶ

BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary invites the public to experience the beloved 63rd Annual Christmas at Mary Concert, a cherished holiday tradition that brings the joy of the Christmas season to life. The free performances will take place on Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, December 8, at 3 p.m., in the breathtaking Our Lady of the Annunciation Chapel on the University of Mary campus.

The historic chapel, designed by renowned architect Marcel Breuer, has been the heart of this festive celebration since its inception in 1961. Its iconic stone walls will resonate with the joyous sounds of the season, as six University of Mary ensembles and 145 talented student musicians perform an inspiring program of Christmas music. Senior Theodore Paul Kariuki of Bloomington, MN, will narrate scripture throughout the concert, adding a meaningful connection between the music and the story of Christ’s birth. 

Overflow seating will be available in the chapel foyer, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a seat in the main chapel.

“These concerts are meant to provide a respite—an opportunity for you to be in our beautiful chapel and breathe in both the stillness and anticipation of Advent and the overflowing joy of the Christmas season,” said Dr. Rebecca Raber, University of Mary’s director of Concert Choir, Choral Studies and Cappella. “Through the beauty of this music, we hope that you also experience the truth of the scripture you hear and the goodness of the musicians working together in harmony for these past months to prepare this music for you.”

Dr. Raber, in her first year as director of Christmas at Mary, brings more than 31 years of experience producing similar multi-ensemble concerts. She expressed her gratitude to her students: “The upperclassmen and especially all 60 freshmen have done such good work. We have worked on these concerts to create a beautiful and inspiring gift to our campus and the Bismarck-Mandan community. We hope it can warm your heart in preparation for the Christmas season.”

The concert features a selection of sacred and traditional Christmas music performed by the University’s Concert Choir, Cappella, Gabrieli Brass, Double Reed Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and Percussion Ensemble. 

Event Details:

• Dates and Times:
  • Friday, December 6, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 7, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 8, at 3 p.m.
• Location:
  • Our Lady of the Annunciation Chapel
    University of Mary Campus
    Bismarck, ND, 58504
• Admission: 
  • Free (a freewill offering will be taken).

Plan to arrive early to ensure seating in the chapel. Overflow seating will be available in the foyer.  

Anyone who wishes to learn more about the University of Mary can do so at www.umary.edu or  , or by contacting an admissions representative at enroll@umary.edu, or by calling (701) 355-8030. The University of Mary is one of only 15 Recommended Cardinal Newman Society Residential Colleges and Universities in the US. 

SWAG��Ƶ the University of Mary: True to its motto “lumen vitae”—The Light of Life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs and graduate programs animated by moral courage and leadership in chosen professions and service to the community. A private, co-educational Catholic institution, the University of Mary welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 bachelor’s, 15 master’s, and five doctoral programs—in Business Administration, Education, Nursing Practice, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. The 19-sport Athletic Department adheres to its Greatness Through Virtue mission under the governance of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) conferences. With more than 3,800 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Rome, Italy, as well as vibrant online offerings. 

Concert Choir

Soprano

Sophia Acord                Ramsey, MN

Grace Balance               Escalon, CA

Rachel Becker               Long Prairie, MN

Rose Bergeron-Killough Lee, NH

Allison Bryn                  Dazey, ND

Alanna Carlson              Bismarck, ND

Kiera Connor                 Lakeville, MN

Julia Daubner                Princeton, MN

Gianna Davy                 Parker, CO

Reagan Dever                Bismarck, ND

Abigail Fuller                 Molalla, OR

Lily Griffin                     Bealeton, VA

Hannah Ingebritson       St. Michael, MN

Hannah Jennings           Harwood, ND

Helena Kijesky               La Plata, MD

Kaitlyn Klein                  Norwich, ND

Eleanor Koop                Ham Lake, MN

Rebekah Libby              Livermore, CA

Sincere Liguria              Eden Prairie, MN

Curstin Lynch                Gilman, MN

Ella Magstadt                Bismarck, ND

Evelyn Michalczyk         Commerce City, CO

Marissa Miller               Maple Grove, MN

Sophia Moore               Appleton, WI

Mollie Obermiller          Huntersville, NC

Jianna Rillorta               Greenfield, WI

Ava Robertson              Rochester, MN

Mary Smyth                  New Prague, MN

Megan Snyder               Custer, SD

Mary Spitzley                St. Johns, MI

Emily Storick                 Bismarck, ND

Grace Vandehey            Kent, WA

Megan Wilke                 Detroit Lakes, MN

Rebekah Young             Harrison City, PA

Olivia Zyble                   Haror Springs, MI

Alto

Madeline Abbot            Fargo, ND

Kaitlyn Andrews            Interlochen, MI

Carrie Athman              Hamilton, MT

Mary Beaten                 Billings, MT

Arana Barnell                Creighton, NE

Maggie Barrett              West Bend, WI

Eliana Birbaum              Laveen, AZ

Allison Bleth                 Bismarck, ND

Kieva Brock                   Dickinson, ND

Caecilia Brown              White Plains, MD

Anna Bruno                  Marseilles, IL

Maddalen Charles         Carrington, ND

Josephine Daubner       Princeton, MN

Kate DeRuyter               Liberty Lake, WA

Emma DeVries              Des Moines, IA

Madeleine DeVries        Des Moines, IA

Rebecca Dendinger       Ellsworth, WI

Alexandra Doemel         Oshkosh, WI

Maggi Doud                  Urbandale, IA

Lillian Effertz                 Velva, ND

Lily Evans                      Wisconsin Dells, WI

Ella Friebel                    Hettinger, ND

Theresa Griffin              Joy, ME

Megan Hanson              Chippewa Falls, WI

Sarah Herbst                 St. Michael, MN

Emily Hirschfeld            Dickinson, ND

Fiona Kelly                    Bismarck, ND

Veronica Ludden           Bloomfield, NJ

Maria McNamara          Rosemount, MN

Siri Paulsen                   Bismarck, ND

Molly Pearson               Ottertail, MN

Therese Pittman            Alexandria, MN

Noelle Ploof                  Minot, ND

Rachel Puyleart             Forest Lake, MN

Ava Verhagen                Appleton, WI

Tenor

Tate Berkley                  Owatonha, MN

Robert Bushee              Roseville, MN

Matthew Chromy          New Prague, MN

Richard Clark                Turlock, CA

James Dill                     St. Paul, MN

John Gedicks                 West Hartford, CT

Kalen Hill                      Minot, ND

Carter Johnson              Bismarck, ND

Jase Kleser                    Bismarck, ND

Aidan Koop                   Ham Lake, MN

Jules Miller                   Moore, OK

Anthony Puchner          Wauwatosa, WI

Logan Quinn                 Wilton, ND

Daniel Wojciehowski     Bismarck, ND

Bass

Isaac Becker                  Flensburg, MN

Nicholas Borden            Eska, MN

Gabriel Collins               Lexington Park, MD

Matthew Courchaine     Sussex, WI

Michael Fagerland         Bismarck, ND

Liam Irwin                     Chippewa Falls, WI

Mikel Kouba                  Manitowoc, WI

Matthew Mendiola       Dassel, MN

Will O’Shields                Dickinson, ND

William Oakes               Stillwater, MN

Lear Rohde                   Bismarck, ND

Brady Saylor                  Bismarck, ND

Nicholas Standage         Arcadia, CA

Zach Turner                  Mandan, ND

Keagan Walker              Fargo, ND

Vocal Jazz

Emma Nagel                 Bismarck, ND

Madison Marcus           Bismarck, ND

Helena Kijesky               La Plata, MD

Rebekah Young             Harrison City, PA

Rebekah Libby              Livermore, CA

Jase Kleser                    Bismarck, ND

Carter Johnson              Bismarck, ND

Daniel Wojiehowski       Bismarck, ND

Zach Turner                  Mandan, ND

Cappella

Soprano

Cecelia Brennan Roseville, MN

Gianna Davy                 Parker, CO

Curstin Lynch                Foley, MN

Ava Robertson              Rochester, MN

Marella Santiago           Bremerton, WA

Tatiana Van Tiem           Stevens Point, WI

Alto

Kendall Alexander         Eau Claire, WI

Emma DeVries              Des Moines, IA

Madeleine DeVries        Des Moines, IA

Abigail Eberle                Bismarck, ND

Megan Hanson              Chippewa Falls, WI

Molly Pearson               Ottertail, MN

Mary Schmitz                St. Paul, MN

Jessica Standage           Arcadia, CA

Tenor

Luke Boylay                   Bloomington, MN

Robert Bushee              Roseville, MN

Leo Colling                    Lordan, MN

Brian Donaldson           Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Aidan Koop                   Ham Lake, MN

Marshall Milless            Andover, MN

William Oakes               Stillwater, MN

Bass

Simon Bowden              Fargo, ND

Jacob Ganzer                Maple Grove, MN

Matthew Lynch             Tony, WI

Nicholas Lynch              Holcombe, WI

Will O’Shields                Dickinson, ND

Keagan Walker              Fargo, ND

Percussion Ensemble

Nicholas Amoranto        Oceanside, CA

Rachel Bleth                 Bismarck, ND

Noah Deabel                 Chicago Heights, IL

Edmund Peliska             Bismarck, ND

Double Reed Ensemble

Tate Berkley, oboe         Owatonna, MN

Anna Wenning, oboe     Beulah, ND

Allison Bleth, bassoon   Bismarck, ND

Saxophone Quartet

Hattie Mullenbach, soprano       Milbank, SD

Edmund Peliska, alto     Bismarck, ND

Mya Tena, tenor            Bismarck, ND

Lillian Effertz, baritone   Velva, ND

Gabriele Brass

Trumpet

Brady Saylor                  Bismarck, ND

Kelly Swenson               Houston, MN

Sarah Grotberg             Fergus Falls, MN

John Mendiola              Dassel, MN

Katie Woodside             Steele, ND

Trevin Yeoman              Mandan, ND

Alanna Amburn             Less Summit, MO

Lucas Mueller               Bismarck, ND

Abigail Welle                 Freeport, ND

Grace Goven                 Turtle Lake, ND

Chris Anderson             Bismarck, ND

+Kennedy Cowart          Houston, TX

Horn

Jase Kleser                    Bismarck, ND

Mark Stotzer                 Albuquerque, AZ

Alison Kirsch                 Rapid City, SD

Rachel Puyleart             Forest Lake, MN

Maggie Krautkramer      Appleton, WI

Amanda Rocha              Tigard, OR

Arianna Barnell             Creighton, NE

Trombone

Blaise Kathol                 Bismarck, ND

Gabi Kielkucki               Manchester, IA

Bass Trombone

Logan Quinn                 Wilton, ND

Euphonium

Marie Wilson                Bismarck, ND

Joseph Kielkucki            Manchester, IA

Tuba

Mikel Kouba                  Manitowoc, WI

+*Thomas Mortenson   Jamestown, ND

Organ

*Rhonda Gowen           Bismarck, ND

Narrator

Theodore Paul Kariuki   Bloomington, MN

 

+  University of Mary alumnus/alumna

*  University of Mary faculty