Editorials

There is a vast space between the music of the St. Olaf Choir and Air Supply. One might even say a chasm. But as Air Supply rocked Woodstock Tuesday night, I searched for a thread which joins the two, and it was not so hard to find.

It’s not just the Knox Concert Series, which has brought the two premier performing groups to Anniston; it’s the responsiveness of the audience which has built appreciation for all kinds of music that keeps this level of entertainment at our fingertips.

My first Knox performance was in 1962 — the St. Olaf Choir, one of the world’s premier a cappela companies. My mother-in-law, the late Edel Y. Ayers, had been a choir member as a student at the college founded by her family in Northfield, Minn. She was instrumental in bringing the choir to Anniston, creating a special moment for our family.

We all gathered at the old Anniston High School auditorium (present site of Food World across from The Victoria), and waited eagerly for the choir to take the stage. They entered silently, each fresh-faced, mostly-blond member clasping a hand of the next in line, and took their places on the simple risers.

Olaf Christiansen, majestic in white tie and tails, entered from stage right, raised his hands almost imperceptibly, and a heartbreakingly perfect chord filled the air.

There was beauty, precision and elegance in every moment; and there it was in Anniston, Ala.! The energy of the performers and in the audience was palpable. At the conclusion of the concert, the choir sang its signature piece, “Beautiful Savior.” There was not a dry eye in the house.

Since then, we have seen and heard the most remarkable agglomeration of talent; from Perlman, te Kanawa, Ray Charles and Nureyev to the spectacular Air Supply performance this week.

As a theater professional and a frequent Knox audience member, I cannot help but note the extraordinary growth of technical proficiency which has been achieved by the Knox volunteers, led by Dorothy Veach. Tuesday night’s performance was quite demanding technically, and the Knox crew provided almost flawless support.

So just what is the thread joining the two disparate Knox presentations? The St. Olaf Choir’s impeccable performance in 1962 remains the gold standard for sacred choral music. Air Supply gave us a very different kind of music, as well as a nostalgia for rock ’n roll and a contagious energy: invited to the lip of the stage, hundreds waved their hands and whooped and sang along with a gusto unknown in the dignified audience of the St. Olaf Choir. But a love for music and a deep appreciation for quality is the thread that connects the two audiences.

Beauty, precision and yes, even elegance, in each ensemble binds the St. Olaf Choir to Air Supply. For those of us lucky enough to have witnessed both performances, it is a welcome and happy convergence of memory and present pleasure.