Submitted Photo Minot State University Singers, from left, Christina Larsen, soprano; Kaitlyn Pellenwessel, alto; Tyler Irmen, tenor; and Evan Putt, bass, will present a concert in the MSU Athletic Dome Northwest Emergency Stairwell on Friday. Photo by Rick Heit.

Four voices of the Minot State University Singers – soprano Christina Larsen, alto Kaitlyn Pellenwessel, tenor Tyler Irmen and bass Evan Putt – will present “In The Darkness of Night: A Concert of Polyphonic Masterpieces for Four Voices” Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Minot State University Athletic Dome Northwest Emergency Stairwell.

The concert is free and a fundraiser for the MSU Concert Choir’s spring 2025 trip to Norway. Donations will be accepted.

Dr. Emerson Eads, director of Choral Activities at MSU, explains the presentation in the emergency stairwell in the MSU Athletic Dome.

“I was introduced to the emergency stairwell by MSU alumnus John Spitzer and what I found there was nothing short of remarkable — a vast cathedral of concrete. Climbing the three flights of stairs to the east and then another three to the west offers an incredible acoustic experience, where sounds resonate for an astonishing 8 to 9 seconds before they fade,” Eads said.

“This reverberation evokes the grandeur of medieval cathedrals, which typically have echo durations of 8 to 11 seconds. For instance, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London has an 11-second echo when empty and about 8 seconds when filled with people. This acoustic quality is particularly meaningful for performing a cappella music of antiquity, as it allows for more expressive interpretations with fewer voices. It showcases just how powerful a simple line of chant can be. When you sing a single chant line, it’s as if you’re harmonizing with the reverberations you’ve created – essentially generating polyphony through monophony in this unique space,” Eads added.

He said for students, this presents an incredible opportunity.

“Such acoustics are rare unless we travel internationally — like the upcoming tour to Norway in spring 2025, which this concert will help fund. The existence of this concrete cathedral right here at Minot State is truly extraordinary,” Eads said. “I hope that alumni and supporters of the university will rally behind the vision of transforming this space into an intimate concert hall for chamber choirs. It’s genuinely an ideal venue for music.”