On Feb. 11, 2018, Southwestern Adventist University celebrated the 25th annual tradition of A Night at the Meyerson with the world premiere of Kim André Arnesen’s newest composition, Sing the Earth, for choir, brass, and the Herman W. and Amelia H. Lay Family Concert Organ. Written specifically for the University’s Meyerson concert, Arnesen attended the festival, working with the singers to prepare them for the concert.

The festival included hundreds of talented high school musicians from all across the U.S. and the 2018 scholarship finalists, top high school musicians who audition for the honor.

The evening highlighted Emily Levin, the new principal harpist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Levin is an award-winning harpist, Juilliard graduate, and has traveled the world with her harp. She is the youngest principal harpist of a major American orchestra. Oklahoma State University professor of saxophone and h2 quartet founder Dr. Jeffrey Loeffert was also a guest soloist.

The concert took place at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas.

Arnesen is one of the most performed classical composers from Norway today. He grew up in Trondheim and started at the music school at the age of 6, playing the piano. By the age of 10, Arnesen had started singing in the Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir. He was further educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim. As a composer, he first performance was in 1999 with the boys’ choir. Since then, Arnesen’s work has been performed by choirs all around the world.