– Celebrating 31 Years of Holiday Tradition at Luther College –

Celebrate the joy, faith and traditions of Christmas as the renowned musicians of Luther College present CHRISTMAS AT LUTHER: TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY, a new holiday special airing Sunday, December 23rd, 2012, 7:00-8:00 p.m. on WTVP-HD.

Festive holiday music, more than 500 choristers and glowing candlelight capture the wonder and joy of the season as Luther College’s nationally and internationally acclaimed music ensembles mark 31 years of sharing the seasonal gift of music with their annual concert.

More than 600 musicians in the college’s vocal and instrumental ensembles present traditional holiday carols and sacred Christmas choral anthems, performing in one of the nation’s most exquisite college concert halls, the Luther College Center for Faith and Life. The performances feature all six choirs at the college, the Symphony Orchestra and the Luther Ringers.

CHRISTMAS AT LUTHER’s powerful and moving music is complemented by the magnificence of the Center for Faith and Life in its Christmas decoration and the choreography of the ensembles. The darkened concert hall is slowly illuminated during the traditional candle-lighting hymn as hundreds of singers sequentially light their own candles.

Each year, more than 8,000 people attend the CHRISTMAS AT LUTHER performances on the Luther campus in Decorah, Iowa. In the past, the concert has been broadcast on almost 100 public television stations in 25 states. It is also featured annually as a holiday special on Minnesota Public Radio.

“We have a proud tradition and we are known and respected for our artistic productions of Christmas festivals,” says Dianne Steinbach, senior director for Arts & Cultural Media at Twin Cities Public Television, producer of the program. “Our television crews are experienced and talented concert specialists. Many of them have been working together as a team, on performance specials, for over 25 years. We all enjoy working together to bring inspiring music programs to broad audiences and we are thrilled to be working on our second production of CHRISTMAS AT LUTHER.”

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Producer: Twin Cities Public Television (tpt)
Senior director of Arts & Cultural Media: Dianne Steinbach
Producer: Lisa Blackstone
Director: Jeff Weihe

About Luther College
Luther College is a liberal arts college with a long and nationally recognized tradition of excellence in music education and performance. Nearly 1,000 student musicians participate in the college’s six choirs, three bands, three orchestras and two jazz bands. In addition to large musical ensembles, students are involved in opera, faculty-coached chamber ensembles, master classes and private lessons. The vibrancy of Luther’s music program is rooted in a balance between the academic rigor of the music major, pursued by over 300 students each year, and the numerous opportunities for study and performance by students from all disciplines. The result is one of the largest and most highly regarded collegiate music programs in the world.

About tpt
The mission of tpt is to “enrich lives and strengthen our community through the power of media.” As one of the nation’s leading public media organizations, tpt uses television, interactive media and community engagement to advance education, culture and citizenship. Over its 50+-year history, tpt has been recognized for its innovation and creativity with numerous awards, including Peabody awards and national and regional Emmys.

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, tpt is one of the highest-rated PBS affiliates in the nation, reaching over 1.3 million people each month through multiple broadcast and online channels. The organization’s areas of focus include the educational readiness of children; serving the needs and unleashing the potential of America’s aging population; engaging a new generation in the power of public media; and being the preferred media partner for organizations that align with the mission to enrich lives and strengthen community.

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