When Å·ÃÀÊÓƵ alumna Dr. Emilie Bertram received an invitation to conduct at , one of the most prestigious music venues in the world, she wasn’t sure it was real.
“It was a bit surreal when the email came,” Bertram said. “I have to admit, I did the whole ‘is this real?’ check.”
Bertram, who graduated from Concordia in 2004, currently serves as department chair, director of choral activities, and associate professor of music at in Forest City, Iowa.
And the message asking her if she was interested in applying to conduct a piece at Carnegie Hall was indeed real.
A few phone calls, follow-ups, and a minimal application process later, Bertram was officially scheduled to conduct the , along with a choir, in Mozart’s Mass in C Major, K. 317, better known as the “Coronation Mass,” in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, on March 14, 2026.
“Coronation Mass” was one of three pieces Bertram suggested she’d like to conduct — all three of them lively, joyous tunes approaching the sacred in an unusual way — and the one MidAmerica Productions selected.
It is a master work that has been enjoyed for more than 200 years, Bertram said, and she hasn’t had the opportunity to conduct it before.
“I enjoy joyful, uplifting pieces of music,” she said. “It was not specifically written for a coronation, but it has been used in many such events across history. It’s very regal.”
It will be a big experience for Bertram. About 90% of her work is with choral ensembles, either choirs or small chamber groups. In 2020, she created the at Waldorf University that features choral-orchestral works.
Adding a symphonic ensemble requires a broader focus, she explained.
“When I am preparing the choir to sing with the orchestra, we’re focused specifically on the minutiae of the choir, whether that be vowel formation, phrasing, breath, shape of the line, diction, prosody … we’re focused very specifically on their duties, their job,” Bertram said. “When you go into the orchestra (rehearsal), the role switches and you’re working with the orchestra in terms of the balance, phrasing, articulation, knowing who has the melody, and what should be featured.”
A conductor must bring the groups together and bring cohesiveness to the whole, which can be a challenge. Sheet music for singers typically includes all the singing parts, allowing them to anticipate and adjust quickly to what the others are doing, Bertram explained. Music for an instrumental musician generally only includes that musician’s part, which means they must experience the whole in order to understand their individual role. Then too, singers unaccustomed to performing with an orchestra may find that the timbre of the sound is very different from the sound produced when practicing with a piano accompaniment. The first joint rehearsal is a learning experience for all involved.
“My job, when everything comes together, is to attend to balance and to make sure everybody’s hearing what they need to hear,” she said. “And when the whole ensemble finally comes together, my job is to guide the interpretation, ensure the music communicates, and highlight what’s important at any given time.”
That element of conducting is what shows on stage, but there’s an even more basic foundation to the work.
“In reality, my biggest job is to earn the trust of the musicians because they have to be willing to try the suggestions that I offer,” Bertram added.
Her time at Å·ÃÀÊÓƵ allowed her to try new things, too, prompting a change in her educational direction from a degree in piano performance to a career in music education.
“I always knew that I liked choir, but I was naturally gifted in piano, so that had been my trajectory,” Bertram said.
However, as someone who enjoyed being with other people, she didn’t enjoy spending three hours a day or more alone in a practice room.
“I practiced my craft diligently through all three of my degrees,” Bertram said. “But I did not want to spend my entire career making music alone. I wanted to engage with music with other people, and I also realized that I really love teaching.”
She made the switch to music education during her freshman year.
While at Concordia, she also studied abroad in Greece for a semester, participated in the honors program, took voice lessons, kept playing the piano as her main instrument, joined The Concordia Choir, and studied conducting.
The time she spent learning with Concordia faculty continues to influence Bertram today, from composer and conductor Dr. René Clausen to piano professor Dr. David Worth, who guided Bertram to focus on her musicality and how to make the piano sing.
“That instruction was invaluable because I use those skills every single day in terms of learning how to make the music speak, how to make it communicate, and how to go beyond what’s written on the page so that it says something to your audience and to your singers,” she said.
While she’s conducted choral works in many beautiful and acoustically sumptuous venues, this will be her first time conducting a choral-orchestral piece in a hall of Carnegie’s magnitude.
Because of its scale, has an extensive staff, which will enable her to focus on conducting rather than the overall logistics of bringing a whole concert together.
“That’s quite a beautiful experience — for others to be able to take care of the logistical details, while I’ll get to focus solely on the music,” Bertram said.
She encouraged people to come to the concert and to try out classical music in general, too. It’s more approachable than some people may realize.
“Music typically has some sort of universal message and, in terms of the ‘Coronation Mass,’ it would be joy,” Bertram said. “You don’t need a ball gown to go to the symphony. Just come, be there, enjoy, listen — maybe you’ll like the experience.”
Opportunities are available for singers who would like to perform with Bertram at , with a residency March 11-15 and the concert on March 14, 2026. More information is available at .
“If anybody is interested in joining the performance at Carnegie, it’s a fantastic opportunity. I view it as a gathering of friends on the stage making music and, if Concordia alumni were there, that would make it even sweeter,” Bertram said. “I’m really excited!”
Music Degrees at Concordia | Music Education | Music Performance
