 Bemidji State University celebrated the 80th anniversary of its choral music program during a homecoming week with a memorable reunion concert. For this week's in focus, Haiti Clotter shows us how, after 80 years, the BSU choral music program can still carry it to them. The sweet sounds of angelic voices echo inside the walls of Bemidji's evangelical covenant church. I think if you find the beauty in the music, you find the beauty in the people making the music and listening to the music and that knows no age. The special reunion concert marks Bemidji State University's 80th anniversary of its choral music program. The show brought out BSU's top notch choir performers and the community. I think it's been a pleasure to see that still now how the community opens its arms very wide for us as a university and then as an ensemble. The director of the Bemidji alumni choir, Mark Carlson says many people have jobs during the day but still made time to practice to be a part of the occasion. Carlson says the show represents the power of music. The music is what feeds our soul and what this 80th reunion means is to see this legacy building and continuing that gave people like older people like me such pleasure in life throughout all of life. Claire Bayer is a 1973 BSU graduate and remembers the fun she had as a member of the choir. Practice I think was at noon every day of the week. I remember practice rooms. She says having so many people come for the show says a lot about BSU. I think it says about the program that it is vital. It is alive and well and ongoing. The performance also bridges a generation gap between former BSU choir alumni and the current members. A total of 130 alumni and current college students participated. I've been meeting some of the alumni members and it's just amazing to see that no matter what age you are that music is the same and what it does for people. The highlight of the show was when Dr. Paul Brandovic took the stage to conduct a piece during the concert. You can call him a legend because he spent 31 years as BSU's choir director. See these singers who are really the last of the true believers. They really believe in what they're doing and what the texts say. They're moved by the words and the messages of the music and what just great. The BSU choir will now move audiences on an international level. They will tour the Baltic states in the spring for this week's in focus in Bemidji, Haiti Clotter Lakeland News. All right another great story from our Haiti Clotter. You've seen many of them. Unfortunately that will be her last story for us. Haiti is moving on to a job in Duluth. We wish her the best. We are certainly, I know I can speak for all of us going to miss her stories, miss having her around the newsroom. It's a real class act and a great person to have around the office and we're certainly going to miss her but we're glad to see her getting a chance to move up a little bit in a bigger market and a different job. So we'll wish her the best. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.