The Music Department at Dordt University will host its annual Fall Music Festival during Defender Days, October 17–18.
Dordt University’s Music Department will host a Fall Music Festival during Defender Days (October 17-18). Each concert in the series will take place in the B.J. Haan Auditorium.
According to Music Department Chair Dr. Ryan Smit, the Fall Music Festival is a cherished tradition that reflects a commitment to worship, community, and musical excellence.
“The Fall Music Festival is one of the marquee events of Defender Days and features performances by nine of Dordt’s music ensembles as well as several keyboard students accompanying ensembles, leading hymns, and providing organ preludes,” says Smit. “The purposes of the Fall Music Festival are primarily to worship our Creator who gave us the gift of music; share this gift with parents, families, friends, and patrons; and demonstrate the progress being made by our student musicians.”
This year, approximately 370 student musicians are involved in the choirs, bands, and orchestra performing in the Fall Music Festival.
The festival includes the following concerts:
4th Avenue Jazz Concert
The Dordt University music department will present a 4th Avenue Jazz concert on Friday, October 17 at 3:10 p.m. Featured in the performance will be the 4th Avenue Singers and 4th Avenue Band. Come for a relaxed afternoon of big band standards, fresh jazz perspectives, featured solos, and a variety of collaborations between singers and instruments. The 4th Avenue Singers are directed by Dr. Ryan Smit, and the 4th Avenue Band is directed by Scott Olson.
Fall Music Festival: Instrumental Ensembles
The Dordt Music Department will present their Instrumental Ensembles concert on Friday, October 17 at 7 p.m. as part of the Fall Music Festival. The concert will feature the Wind Symphony, Chamber Orchestra and Campus-Community Band. This concert will include selections from a wide range of music genres. Additionally, the Wind Symphony will welcome a mass choir of singers from Concert Choir and Chorale to join the final selection, a beautiful setting of God of our Fathers by Claude T. Smith—a staple of the wind band canon. The Wind Symphony and Campus-Community Band are directed by Dr. Onsby Rose, and the Chamber Orchestra is directed by Amie Smit.
Fall Music Festival: Choral Ensembles
The second half of the Fall Music Festival at 8:30 p.m. on Friday October 17 will feature four of the Dordt choral ensembles: Bella Voce (women’s chorus), Canons of Dordt (men’s chorus), Chorale, and Concert Choir. Repertoire will draw from a wide range of styles from the Renaissance to 21st century works and explore themes of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Bella Voce is conducted by Dr. Carrie Groenewold, Canons of Dordt by Tim Van Voorst, and Chorale and Concert Choir by Dr. Ryan Smit.
Defender Days Hymn Festival
The Dordt Music Department will present the Defender Days Hymn Festival, “Great One In Three, Eternal Praises Be,” on Saturday, October 18, at 11:15 a.m. The Hymn Festival will celebrate the Trinitarian nature of God with hymns and songs led by organ, brass, percussion, choir, flute, cello, and piano. A prelude by Dordt organ students will take place prior to the start of the Hymn Festival.
All concerts are free to attend and open to the public. The concerts and PDF programs will also be available on livestream at https://www.dordt.edu/live-events.
To learn more about the music department at Dordt, visit https://www.dordt.edu/news/dordt.edu/music.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
Dordt University has named Darrel Raih (’79) the recipient of the 2025 Ambassador Award, recognizing his meaningful service in advancing the university’s mission and Christian higher education.
Related Events