Handel Oratorio Society records, 1880-2004 | Augustana College

The Handel Oratorio Society is a choral society comprised of Quad City community members and local college students. It began in 1880 under the name Augustana Handel Oratorio Society and was founded by former professor of theology, Olof Olsson. The Society is most famous for its Christmas season performance of George Frederic Handel's "Messiah," which was first performed April 12th, 1881, and made into an annual event by the early 1900s. Other notable performances vary from year to year and include Haydn's "Creation," Mendelssohn's "Elijah," Bach's "St. Matthew Passion," Brahms's "Requiem" and Durufle's "Requiem." Charles Wuorinen's piece, "The Celestial Sphere," was specially commissioned by the Society in celebration of its 100th anniversary and premiered April 25th, 1981, at Augustana College.

Over a dozen directors have conducted performances over the years, most notably: Edla Lund (1908-1912), the only female director; Arvid Samuelson (1918-1922), credited with the first major influx of society membership; Henry Veld (1931-1966), who brought the Handel Oratorio Society to national attention and procured internationally known soloists; Donald Morrison (1966-1992) and Daniel Culver (1992-present), the two most recent directors.