Many areas of the Music Department have been working hard to be ready for their first performances on Sunday as a part of Family Weekend. The Christ Chapel Choir and Handbells will be performing at the 10:00 a.m. Worship Service. Following the service, there is an 11:00 a.m. brunch where the Jazz Band will be playing.

The multi-ensemble concert kicks off at 2:00 p.m. in Christ Chapel. Performing groups include the Wind Orchestra, Vasa Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Lucia Singers and Gustavus Choir.

“It’s always been a tradition to show off music ensembles,” Alan Behrends, director of fine arts said.

The afternoon performance used to be an all-day event. It started in the morning with a brunch and a reception after every performance. Now it is condensed to a short concert-style showcase where each group plays a few songs.

Having only about one month to be performance-ready can be a challenge, especially this early in the year.

“There are college students from all over campus representing different backgrounds in music … it’s a challenge to bring everyone together, but they are a diverse group of outstanding kids,” Choral Director Brandon Dean said.

There is also a method to picking the music used for the family weekend performance. First is making sure what one wants to do is a piece that will able to be ready in one month’s time. Another method to picking a performance depends on the time of year or the purpose of the performance.

The Lucia Singers will be performing a piece entitled Three Night Songs. “I picked it because it has an ‘autumnal’ feel- the colors in the piece work really well in the fall,” Dean said.

“The best part of family weekend [performances] is getting to listen to all the upper level choirs and knowing we can have that experience in a couple of years…uniting in one voice,” Sophomore Malak Bellal said.

The Music Department is also adding a new tradition this year. Gustavus is hosting its First Annual Gustavus Women’s Choral Invitational on April 30, 2013. It will include four high school choirs and around 250 women singers.