Gustavus Adolphus College

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Music and Chaplains' Office

B.Mus. Indiana University; M.A.Rel. Concordia Seminary (St. Louis); D.M.A. University of Minnesota

David Fienen is Chair of the Music Department, Organist/Cantor at Christ Chapel and Edgar F. and Ethel Johnson Professor of Fine Arts at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, USA. He teaches organ, church music, and is organist and music director for the chapel. At Gustavus, he has chaired the Academic Policy and Program Committee, the Faculty Senate, was Associate Dean of the College from 1993-96 and again in 1999, and for academic year 2000-01 was [Interim] Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He was Director of General Education from 2002-2007.

Dr. Fienen holds degrees from Indiana University, Concordia Seminary, and the University of Minnesota. He is well known as an organ recitalist, having appeared widely in the United States and Europe. In addition to a solo recital tour through North Germany and Berlin, he has toured Eastern Europe with both the Gustavus Brass Ensembles and the Gustavus Wind Orchestra. In June, 1990, he was an Artist/Fellow with the Bach Aria Festival and Institute at Stony Brook, NY, and since 1988 he has been the keyboardist with the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has played the Salieri Organ Concerto, the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony, and the Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani. He was Assistant Conductor of the Mankato-based choral group Musicorum during fall 1999 and for several years has been the performance accompanist for both Musicorum and the St. Peter Choral Society.

He was Secretary/Treasurer of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians from 2001-2005, having previously served as President of Region III from 1986-88 and as Treasurer for their 1993 and 1995 Biennial Conferences. In 1983-86 he was on the Executive Board of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and from 1995-97 he was on the Board of Directors and Chair of the Finance Committee of The Collaboration for the advancement of college teaching and learning.

Dr. Fienen has recorded Hymns and Fanfares (with Gustavus Brass Ensembles) and Let Us Adore Him; Favorite Swedish Hymns; and Favorite Norwegian Hymns (with the Gustavus Choir), which are available from the BookMark at Gustavus Adolphus College. He also appears as organ or harpsichord soloist and accompanist on three CDs produced by Musicorum, a choral group based in Mankato, MN. His current research is focused on the life and works of Jan Bender. During his leave of absence in the fall of 2003, he edited five volumes of organ works by Jan Bender for Concordia Publishing House as a Commemorative Edition, which was published in 2005. In July, 2004, he played an Orgelvesper at St. Jacobi in Lubeck, Germany, and an organ recital at the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg, Germany. His other recent publication is, "Jan Bender; Church Musician of the 20th Century", published in Perspectives on Organ Playing and Musical Interpretation; A Festschrift for Heinrich Fleischer at 90 (available from the Organ Historical Society).

David Fienen's Schedule

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