Wartburg College’s monthly Bach’s Lunch series will deviate from its standard programming to offer a Homecoming & Family Weekend hymn festival on Friday, Oct. 10.

“A Thousand Voices Sing Praise: A Hymn Festival” was designed and will be led by Karen Black, Rudi Inselmann Endowed Professor of Organ. Brian Pfaltzgraff, professor of music, will serve as the reader. The concert will begin at 12:15 p.m. in Wartburg Chapel. Attendees are invited to bring a lunch to the Chapel Commons at noon for an abbreviated recital talk.

Assisted by Kantorei, one of Wartburg College’s mixed choral ensembles, the hymn festival will explore the theme through organ and choral elaborations of hymns in settings composed by Black and others.

“This hymn festival celebrates the many ways and reasons people of faith sing praise. I am excited to lead attendees in singing tunes from very old to a brand new one! The music will be interspersed with readings that comment on the ways that music serves as an expression of profound praise,” Black said.

The series will continue Nov. 7, Feb. 6, March 13 and April 10.