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The �ձ�av��Ƶ Concert Choir will present a powerful and deeply reflective performance of Johannes Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem” at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 29, in the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center’s Larson Memorial Concert Hall.

Conducted by Laura Diddle, this performance marks one of her final concerts leading the Concert Choir in her last semester at �ձ�av��Ƶ, offering both a musical and personal milestone in a distinguished career of choral leadership.

Rather than the full orchestral version, the ensemble will perform Brahms’ rarely heard four-hand piano arrangement — created by the composer himself — providing an intimate and transparent interpretation of the monumental work. The piano parts will be performed by Angela Hertling and Carson Covey, whose collaboration brings clarity and immediacy to Brahms’ rich choral textures.

The performance will also feature guest artists and Concert Choir alumni Riley Cardona, soprano, and Colton Cook, baritone.

Composed in the years following the death of Brahms’ mother, “Ein Deutsches Requiem” stands apart from traditional Latin requiems. Instead, Brahms selected texts from the German Bible, crafting a work focused not on judgment of the dead, but on comfort for the living. The result is a deeply human meditation on grief, hope and consolation — one that has resonated with audiences for generations.

The �ձ�av��Ƶ Concert Choir will perform the work in German, with English supertitles, allowing audiences to experience the meaning and emotional arc of the text while experiencing the beauty of Brahms’ original language.

“This is a piece that meets people where they are,” Diddle said. “It does not demand a particular belief, but instead offers solace, reflection and a sense of shared humanity.

For Diddle, the performance carries added significance as she approaches retirement after decades of teaching and conducting. Known for her expressive programming and commitment to student artistry, she has shaped generations of singers at �ձ�av��Ƶ and beyond.

“This concert represents both a culmination and a continuation,” Diddle said. “It reflects the work these students have done together, and it offers something lasting to the audience — a moment of stillness, beauty and connection.”

The concert is free and open to the public, underscoring the university’s commitment to making transformative artistic experiences accessible to the broader community.