The Northern Light

Bruce Phelps, urging on his troops

Bruce and Stan in
JHS Yearbook 1965

He was the most reliable ear in the Jefferson High School choir, in Stan's opinion. A good thing too. Almost 50 years ago, Stan sang the occasional solo a capella for the Alexandria concert choir, and picking out that starting note would have been a scarey proposition for him. But not so with Bruce Phelps standing at your side, checking his pitch pipe and humming your first note directly into your left ear. Easy peasy for Bruce to find the right note. A great comfort for Stan.

Bruce is still standing tall, now in front of the risers. He's the director of the prestigious Northern Lights Chorale and they have a series of spring events coming up.

Bruce's choir today.

Listen to Bruce Phelps conduct an old standby, Praise to the Lord the Almighty, F. Melius Christianson. Click here. It's really good.
Our former high school choir director and lifetime family friend, Murrae Freng, brought this note to our attention last week, adding his personal encouragement to attend. He forwarded the following invitation from The Director.
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Dear Friends,
The Northern Lights Chorale is completing their fifth season with two concerts here in the Twin Cities and I would like to personally invite you to come and hear us. The title is The Music of Living and it takes you on a journey of life. We have programmed a variety of music with you our audience in mind. I do hope you can make a special effort to come and hear us this year.
Here are the details:
Saturday, April 27th - 7:00 p.m. Benson Great Hall on the Bethel University Campus. No admission charge and donations will be accepted.
Sunday, May 5th - 3:00 p.m. at the Hoversten chapel on the Augsburg College campus. Harmonious Youth, a brand new children's choir will be joining us for this afternoon of music. There is no admission charge here either.
If you would like to see the entire program, please visit our website at www.northernlightschorale.com.
Put us on your calendar now. I look forward to seeing you this Spring.
Musically yours,
Bruce Phelps
Director, Northern Lights Chorale

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Stan's sister Sosie was in Bruce's grade and sang in the high school choir with us. Personal note: Hey Sosie, wanna go? Haven't seen Bruce for many years. You'll be in town April 27. Stan will spring for the donation.

Here's Bruce's bio from the Northern Lights web site: Not one mention of him singing with Stan in the high school choir. :(

Bruce currently serves as the Minister of Music at Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Brighton, MN where he is responsible for all the music for the church.
A 1970 graduate of Concordia College, Bruce taught at Luverne, MN for 5 years, Wayzata MN for 1 year and finished his 34 year teaching career at Anoka High School in Anoka, MN. Bruce earned his Masters Degree in 1978 from Bemidji State University.

Bruce with his Board of Directors

Besides his teaching duties, Bruce directed choirs at the United Methodist and Zion Lutheran churches in Anoka, served eleven years on the education staff at St. Olaf College, directed the South St. Paul Male Chorus for five years and the 3M Male Chorus for nine years. In 1998, he founded The Two Rivers Chorale and served as their director until 2004.  He has been a guest clinician at numerous choral festivals in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alaska and Virgina, was the director of the Minnesota All State Mens Choir in 2005-2006.

Bruce has written a Sight Reading Manual for schools and institutions, a Sight Reading Manual for barbershop choruses, and a Music Mastery Manual designed to help teach music basics in the choral classroom. He has also published two pieces with Kjos Music.

Following his time at Anoka High School, Bruce served three years as Associate Director of Music Organizations at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and directed the Great Plains Harmony, a barbershop chorus and member of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Bruce was named the Outstanding Music Educator of Minnesota by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 1995. Bruce also received the Outstanding Music Educator Award from the Minnesota Music Education Association for the school year 1999-2000 for his outstanding efforts and leadership in the classroom and beyond. In 2009, Bruce was inducted into the Minnesota Music Educators Hall of Fame.

Bruce has been a regional representative for the Minnesota State High School League, served as Choral Vice President for Minnesota Music Educators Association and has served on the Minnesota ACDA board and is currently a member of MENC and ACDA.

In 2008, Bruce founded The Northern Lights Chorale. The group rehearses weekly from September through November and again in January through April with concerts at the end of November and April. Bruce continues to be active in music, is an avid Minnesota Twins fan and has been known to chase a white ball around the golf course.

Bruce giving Stan a shave in this 1965 Barbershop Quartet photo.
With Randy Gaugert and Bob Johnson (manager of the St. Olaf choir)