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World-famous composer collaborates with Wartburg Choir, W-SR Chamber Choir

Waverly, IA (04/02/2026) — When an internationally renowned American choral music composer like Dan Forrest visits the Wartburg College campus, Lee Nelson is sure to fill every minute of his schedule with interactions that leave lasting impressions on the students and educators he interacts with.

"These visits give our students the chance to work directly with a composer whose music they have sung in their high school, church or community choirs. It brings the music to life in a completely different way," said Nelson, the Patricia R. Zahn Chair in Choral Conducting. "Experiences like this are especially meaningful for our future music educators, who will go on to lead their own choirs and, I hope, create similar opportunities for their students."

But realizing that many high schools are unable to afford these collaborations, Nelson tries to engage as many young musicians as possible when an opportunity arises. Forrest was scheduled to be the guest conductor and composer at the college's Meistersinger Honor Choir Festival, which draws about 500 choir students from Iowa and its surrounding states. When weather kept him away, he joined the festival virtually and offered to visit campus at another time.

"Even though I am not in higher education anymore, I love teaching. It's one of my favorite things to do," Forrest said. "It's almost like grandparenting, the way I get to do it now. I get the privilege of working with students without any of the responsibility. I just get to show up and try to inspire people who want to make more music and do it better than they did before."

While in Waverly, Forrest accompanied the Wartburg Choir for a video recording of his arrangement of "O Holy Night," which premiered at the 2025 Christmas with Wartburg.

"When you hand a new piece over to a conductor, there has to be some level of trust that they are going to take these symbols I wrote on the paper and turn them into the sounds I heard in my head," Forrest said. "It's ideal if I can be present and at the piano for a premiere, but that doesn't always happen. Being on campus for this recording was fantastic. I got to play the piano part exactly how I imagined it, and the choir did an amazing job."

In addition to meeting with Wartburg students, Forrest also connected with students from Waverly-Shell Rock. The high school's Chamber Choir will sing Forrest's "Good Night, Dear Heart" at the State Large Group Contest on May 8 and again at their spring concert May 11.

Greta Nelson, a 2019 Wartburg graduate now leading the Waverly-Shell Rock High School vocal music program, chose the piece specifically because she knew her students would have the opportunity to work with Forrest before they performed his song.

"Getting to work with a composer directly enhances our understanding and interpretation of the piece. It also helps me, as a conductor, fine tune small details, and the students are able to better internalize the meaning and emotion behind the work," Greta Nelson said.

Her students spent about 40 minutes with Forrest, learning more about how he envisions the piece sounding and his life as a composer.

"I know it is important to Dr. (Lee) Nelson that high school students, from here in Waverly or anywhere, have the opportunity to visit campus and participate in high-level music opportunities. I am grateful to be at a high school that supports its fine arts programs and the opportunities we have outside of the classroom, too," Greta Nelson said. "It's not every day that a high school choir teacher gets to conduct with Dan Forrest sitting at the piano."

Media Attachments

Wartburg College commissioned Dan Forrest (center) to create an arrangement of "O Holy Night" that premiered at the 2025 Christmas with Wartburg. He visited campus in March to accompany the Wartburg Choir in a video recording of the piece.

Greta Nelson, Waverly-Shell Rock High School vocal music director, conducts the W-SR Chamber Choir on "Good Night, Dear Heart," written by Dan Forrest, who is accompanying them on the piano.

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