ie ▁Hall ▁and ▁the ▁Kennedy ▁Center . ▁The ▁cho ir ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁by ▁the ▁college ' s ▁voice ▁instruct or ▁and ▁began ▁tour ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁H erman ▁M ons on . ▁The ▁cho ir ▁grew ▁to ▁national ▁prom in ence ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁dec ades ▁when ▁Paul ▁J . ▁Christians en , ▁son ▁of ▁conduct or ▁F . ▁Mel ius ▁Christians en ▁and ▁brother ▁of ▁O la f ▁Christians en , ▁became ▁the ▁director . ▁Christians en ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁position ▁for ▁ 4 9 ▁years ▁until ▁composer ▁René ▁Cla us en ▁took ▁over ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁who ▁remains ▁there ▁today . ▁Under ▁Cla us en , ▁The ▁Con cord ia ▁Ch oir ▁has ▁released ▁numerous ▁record ings ▁and ▁has ▁performed ▁with ▁the ▁King ' s ▁Sing ers . ▁ ▁The ▁college ▁has ▁put ▁on ▁an ▁annual ▁Christmas ▁concert ▁since ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁which ▁remains ▁a ▁tradition ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁community . ▁From ▁its ▁in ception , ▁it ▁has ▁featured ▁the ▁music ▁department ' s ▁cho irs ▁and ▁or chestra . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁Christians on ▁began ▁working ▁with ▁painter ▁C yrus ▁M . ▁Running ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁mur als ▁with ▁the ▁concert ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁music ' s ▁them es . ▁Running ▁completed ▁the ▁designs ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁when ▁their ▁development ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁David ▁J . ▁Het land , ▁whose