THE LORAS COLLEGE MAGAZINE | VOL. 59 | NO. 1 | WINTER 2010

The Snow Show Must Go On
BY CLARE HORST (’11)
Despite the saying, sometimes the uncontrollable weather
conditions mean the show cannot go on.
That’s what happened to the annual “Sounds of the Season”
choir and wind ensemble concert on Dec. 11, 2010, as dangerous
driving conditions made it necessary to cancel the concert.
However, some families had already made the trip to see the
performance. Choir member Hannah Kauffold’s (’13)
(Wahoo, Neb.) parents and grandparents drove more than six
hours to get to Loras. “We knew a storm was forecast, so we
arrived Friday night to make sure we were there,” explained
Ken Kauffold, Hannah’s grandfather. “By 11 a.m. [Saturday
morning], the rain started, getting heavier by the minute.
By noon, it had turned to snow—big flakes that stuck to
everything!”
The family was out for lunch when they received notice that
the concert was cancelled. “I felt awful because my family
drove all that way, despite the storm,” explained Hannah.
She immediately contacted choir director Bruce Kotowich,
D.M.A., associate professor of music, to see if there was a way
to get the members of the Chamber Choir together to sing
some of their songs for her family. “Dr. Kotowich was up for
it, so I gave a few people in the Chamber Choir a call and they
spread the word to each other. Before we knew it, everyone
was at the Visitation building ready for an impromptu concert.”
“Fifteen out of the 18 choir members were present in Gallagher
Hall and gave the four of us a private concert,” said Andy
Kauffold, Hannah’s father. “We didn’t care that they didn’t
have on their performance attire. We didn’t care that the room
wasn’t decked out in holiday splendor. It was a very special
and touching experience for us, and based upon what we have
heard from Hannah, it was special for the students as well.”
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Campus News | Spring 2011
The weekend was special for Hannah’s family for another important
reason—they were celebrating Ken’s 80th birthday. Hannah
would not have made it home for her grandfather’s birthday, but
she said the concert was the best gift they could have given him.
“It was most extraordinary!” exclaimed Ken. “The Chamber
Choir sang six selections for the four of us, and they sang a great
rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for me. We gave them a standing
ovation after each song; it was truly a ‘once in a lifetime’ event.”
The performance was an impactful experience for the
Kauffolds and one they will not soon forget. “I don’t know if
my grandpa will get another chance to see me perform. It truly
showed us how much people care at Loras,” said Hannah.
“The title of the concert was ‘Sounds of the Season,’” said
Vickie Kauffold, Hannah’s mother. “What we witnessed was
not just the ‘sounds’ of the musical selections, but the ‘actions’
of these Loras students and Dr. Kotowich as they selflessly
came to perform for us.” �
Drew Chapman (’11) (Dyersville, Iowa) advanced to the final round of the National Association of Teachers of Singing
(NATS) competition held Nov. 5-6, 2010, in Milwaukee, Wis. He was one of only three in his category of Upper College
Men’s Musical Theatre to make it to the final round of competition. Chapman is a senior at Loras double majoring in
economics and international studies.