F. Melius Christiansen

Fredrik Melius Christiansen (April 1, 1871 – June 1, 1955) was a Norwegian-born violinist and choral conductor in the Lutheran choral tradition. He is most notable for his many a cappella choral arrangements, and for founding The St. Olaf Choir in 1912.

Early life Fredrik Melius Christiansen, the son of a Norwegian factory worker, was born in Eidsvold, municipality in Akershus county, Norway. He took up music at an early age: By three years old he could play his first clarinet, and at six he was marching in his father's band. In addition to clarinet, he went on to learn the violin, piano, and pipe organ. In his teens, he became so proficient at the pipe organ as to be able to take his teacher's place as the organist in Sunday services, although his true passion was the violin. To pay for his lessons, he himself taught piano and violin to beginners, but soon realized that he would meet with limited success in his home country. Thus, at 17, F. Melius emigrated to the United States. Christiansen died in Northfield in 1955.

Honors Christiansen was made a Commander of the Order of St. Olaf by the King of Norway in 1928. St. Olaf College established the F. Melius Christiansen Lifetime Achievement Award in 1973. American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota created the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund in 1996 .

Family Four of Christiansen's children survived to adulthood, two of them adding their own legacy to the Christiansen tradition of choral music in America. Jake Christiansen; coach and athletic director at Concordia College, Moorhead. Jake Christiansen Stadium, "the Jake," was built in his honor. Olaf Christiansen; succeeded his father as head of the music department at St. Olaf College and conductor of the St. Olaf Choir. His accomplishments include maintaining the tradition and high standards of his father while introducing many choral arrangements, and more than twenty years of conducting the St. Olaf Choir. Paul J. Christiansen; conducted The Concordia Choir from 1937 to 1986, developing the choir into what is now one of the world's finest and most accomplished undergraduate a cappella choirs. Paul, like his father, composed and arranged hundreds of hymns and countless choral compositions. Paul helped to spread his father's music and tradition (as well as developing his own reputation of excellence) to generations. Elsa Christiansen Wycisk; married Kurt Wycisk, manager of the Concordia Choir.