A newly renovated 13th century cathedral, damaged during World War II, now stands almost completed in Kaliningrad, Russia after help from members of the Iowa State music department.

“It didn’t have a roof and one of the towers was blown off,” says Jeffrey Prater, professor of music.

Prater will lead a group of ISU music faculty and alumni to perform at the Konigsberg Cathedral in two concerts, one with the Kaliningrad State Symphony Orchestra, to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the founding of the city.

“In 2000, we had a collaborative project with a foundation in Germany that was raising money for renovations for this church in Russia,” he says.

Prater originally led the Iowa State Chamber Singers to Germany in 2000, to perform at a benefit concert to raise money to rebuild the cathedral.

Now, in 2005, members of the ISU music faculty will have the opportunity to perform at the recently renovated cathedral.

“It kind of came full circle,” Prater says.

The musicians include Andrew Adams, lecturer and pianist for the music department, Michael Giles, saxophonist for the music department and Sonja Giles, flutist and assistant professor of music. Elizabeth Sadilek-Labenski, flutist and former Iowa State music faculty member, and Laura Pedersen, a soprano and ISU alumna will also perform.

Prater first developed his interest in the cathedral after being approached by Eberhard Neumann-von Meding, a good friend of his who was born during World War II.

Neumann-von Meding was just a baby when he lived in Konigsberg, Germany, (now Kaliningrad, Russia) with his mother after his father was killed during the war.

“He’s one of the youngest of the people [in the foundation] who are working on this project,” Prater says.

Adams says he is excited for the chance to perform outside of the United States. The group will also be accompanied by a German tour group.

“This is my first big concert out of the country,” Adams says.

Two of Prater’s works, “Veni Creator Spiritus” and “Promise” will be performed.

Prater says rehearsing for this concert will have a few slight differences from rehearsing for one in the United States.

“We have rehearsals in several different languages,” he says. “Operating in other languages and having to travel to get there makes things a little different, but also very exciting.”

Prater says the concerts, funded in part by the F. Wendell Miller Foundation and Iowa State, will be a learning experience for everyone involved.

“These things really build relations among cultures,” he says. “It becomes a collaborative effort rather than one where everything is one-sided.

“We’re all better people for it.”