The F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund

In 1996, the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota created the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund to foster Minnesota's reputation for choral excellence by awarding grants to undergraduate and graduate choral conducting students from private and public Minnesota colleges and universities.

The Endowment Fund is named after F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf Choir, who believed his contribution to music was not one of instinctive genius, but an ethic of hard work used to achieve perfect intonation, seamless blend and crisp diction. Today, choral musicians in Minnesota pride themselves on a tradition of excellence built on the Christiansen foundation; an evolving tradition that inspires and trains talented young people throughout the state to pursue their ambitions in the choral industry. The future of choral music — in classrooms, churches, synagogues and communities — rests squarely in the hands of these promising directors.

Your gift to the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund will go directly towards:

• Providing active choral conductors with professional development opportunities and


• Encouraging talented young musicians to pursue choral conducting.

Each year, more than $13,000 in grants are awarded to attend ACDA state and national conventions, Summer Dialogue and graduate school. Every three years, an ACDA-MN member is sponsored to attend the World Symposium on Choral Music, the most prestigious choral gathering in the world.

We are very pleased to report that the $100,000 matching grant
challenge from the Wenger Foundation was met by the deadline date of December, 31, 2007. As a result, the fund currently stands at $587,000! Donations to the fund assist in funding educational scholarships and professional development grants for active and aspiring Minnesota choral conductors. Earned endowment income also helps support the position of executive secretary and treasurer for ACDA of Minnesota. As we continue to offer more opportunities, your gift can make a difference! Contribute now.

Announcing the 2009 Minnesota Collegiate Choral Festival--the third concert in the Star of the North Festival Concert Series.
To be held November 14, 2009 at Benson Great Hall on the Campus of Bethel University in St. Paul, this festival is open to all Minnesota two and four year colleges and universities who were not participants in the 2006 concert. Craig Jessop, of Utah State University and former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, will be the guest conductor. A special choral work, commissioned from Minnesota native Eric Barnum, will be premiered by the combined choirs.

Site contents © 2009 ACDA-MN/FMC Endowment Fund.