Luther College Jazz Orchestra to Take its Musical Energy South for Spring Tour

DECORAH — For its 2026 spring tour, the Luther College Jazz Orchestra will be traveling to the birthplace of jazz and six other cities starting Saturday, March 21. Their spring tour repertoire includes highlights from Gordon Goodwin, Astor Piazzolla, Marshall Gilkes and Bob Washut. Students from a variety of academic programs perform with the Jazz Orchestra and will be featured as soloists during the spring tour. While rest of campus enjoys spring break (March 23-27), the Jazz Orchestra will perform in the following locations: Iowa City, Iowa Collierville, Tenn. New Orleans, La. Lafayette, La. Little Rock, Ark. Topeka, Kan. Johnston, Iowa The Jazz Orchestra will return to Decorah for a homecoming concert at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31 at the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The concerts are free and open to the public. About Luther College Jazz Orchestra The Jazz Orchestra travels annually and tours abroad every four years—most recently in May 2024 to Brazil for a two-and-a-half-week, ten-performance immersion in the musical cultures of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo. The Jazz Orchestra will go on their next international tour in May 2028. In addition to regular performances on the Luther College campus, the Jazz Orchestra has been featured at the Iowa Jazz Championships and Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference. Guest artists and clinicians on campus in recent years include Danilo Pérez, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Luciana Souza, Kenny Barron, David Sanchez, and Kurt Elling. The Luther College Center Stage Series and Music Department regularly include professional jazz artists on their performance calendars. About Luther College Music Luther is home to one of the largest undergraduate music programs in the nation, with five choirs, three orchestras, two bands and two jazz bands. One-third of all Luther students participate in music, including large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. Nearly 175 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, jazz, church music and performance. Learn more at luther.edu/music. Get the inside scoop! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and receive local news, expert analysis, and stories that matter most—straight to your inbox.