Morten Lauridsen at Sing'n'Joy Princeton 2017 © INTERKULTUR

Crown Jewel Anniversary for an “American Choral Master”

Morten Lauridsen celebrates his 75th birthday

Birthday wishes

"To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist", the German composer Robert Schumann once stated. And how can a composer fulfil this task better than creating a piece named “Lux Aeterna” which will forever have a special place in the hearts of choral singers all over the world?

Today the composer of this piece, who was born on February 27, 1943, celebrates his 75th birthday and therefore the whole INTERKULTUR team cordially congratulates its Honorary Artistic President Morten Lauridsen and sends all its best wishes across the pond.

”I must tell you all that it has been one of the highest honors of my life to be associated with such a splendid and incredibly important organization that has brought joy to millions of people throughout the world”, Lauridsen replied to the first compliments he received by INTERKULTUR President Günter Titsch.

The American poet Robert Frost once wrote:”… Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.” But what made Lauridsen follow the less travelled road? In an interview he mentioned that 10 solitary weeks as a forest-service firefighter and lookout changed his life so that he decided to turn over a new leaf and became a composer.

He studied composition at the University of Southern California, where he also worked as a professor for more than 40 years. He looks back on years of successes, awards and distinctions. From 1994–2001 e.g., he was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In 2007 he received the National Medal of Arts from the President in a White House ceremony, "for his composition of radiant choral works combining musical beauty, power and spiritual depth that have thrilled audiences worldwide". His works received Grammy Award nominations and have become an essential component of the canon of choral literature.

The whole INTERKULTUR team wishes long-lasting health and inspiration to Morten Lauridsen so that he can continue to enrich the choral community with his inspiring spirit and soul-touching choral music and make this wish of him come true: ”I look forward to continuing to champion INTERKULTUR at every opportunity and to work with you in future events. “

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