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2025 ACDA National Conference March 18-22, 2025 Dallas, Texas

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ery HS, a small rural town in Montgomery, TX. This also featuring new and innovative choral works, the
choir consists of twenty-eight students and performs choir showcases versatility, artistry, and technical mas-
in a variety of concerts and community performanc- tery across many genres of music. Nordic Choir is un-
es. The Madrigals have a long tradition of accolades. der the direction of Dr. Andrew Last. Last arrived at
Many students are members of TFME and TriM Mu- Luther in the fall of 2012 and became director of cho-
sic Honor Society and are active in region and state ral activities in 2017.
solo and ensemble contests, NATS competitions, and
region and all-state choirs. These young musicians are Andrew Last is the Weston Noble En-
role models in the school and excel in all areas of aca- dowed Professor and director of choral
demia. activities at Luther College, where he
conducts the Nordic Choir, teaches con-
Heather Orr is in her twenty-ninth year ducting, and serves as the artistic direc-
of teaching and twenty-third year as tor for Christmas at Luther. Last is part of an excit-
the Montgomery HS head choir direc- ing choral program at Luther College that includes
tor. Choirs under Orr’s direction have three choral faculty, nearly 400 singers, and five choral
performed at the TMEA Convention in ensembles. The choir has numerous regional and na-
2010, 2018, and 2024; National ACDA in 2011 and tional ACDA conference performances, and regularly
2021; and the SWACDA Region in 2018 and 2022. presents choral/orchestra works. Last holds a BA from
Orr has been recognized with the TCDA Choral Ex- Luther College, an MM from Northern Arizona Uni-
cellence Award, UIL Sponsor Excellence Award, and versity, and a DMA from the University of Nebraska-
Fine Arts Teacher of the Year Award. She is sought af- Lincoln.
ter as a presenter on developing tone and vertical align-
ment, a region clinician, and adjudicator.
Ragazzi Boys Chorus, Silicon Valley
Concert Group and Choral Scholars
Luther College
Nordic Choir

Grammy Award-winning Ragazzi Boys Chorus,
Silicon Valley, provides outstanding musical education
Nordic Choir, founded in 1946, enjoys national and and performance opportunities for boys and young
international stature as one of the premier collegiate men ages five to eighteen. The largest boys’ chorus in
choral ensembles in the United States. Acclaimed for the San Francisco Bay Area, Ragazzi serves over 230
the way it honors the Lutheran choral tradition while choristers in six tiered levels. Recent highlights in-

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2025 Volume 65 Number 5 25