The religious spirit brought to campus by Passover and Easter will continue in May when Pick-Staiger Concert Hall features three musical events exploring biblical themes.

A daylong symposium on May 14 will study how the biblical character Judith has been depicted through religion, art, music and literature. Panelists, including professors from Notre Dame University and Hebrew College, will lead discussions during the Evelyn Dunbar Memorial Early Music Festival, to be held at the Fiedler Hillel Center.

“This has a very broad appeal — it’s interesting on a lot of different levels,” said Jennifer Bolino, Pick-Staiger director of marketing. “It’s not necessarily limited to people who have an interest in early music or women.”

The symposium is the fifth annual festival funded by a gift from Ruth Dunbar-Davee in memory of Evelyn Dunbar, a community member who performed in several musical ensembles at Northwestern.

After the symposium Pick-Staiger will host the U.S. premiere of “La Giuditta,” an oratorio about Judith’s life. The Newberry Consort, a three-member ensemble-in-residence, will perform the work by composer Alessandro Scarlatti.

On May 21 the NU Chorale and University Chorus will perform “African Sanctus,” a combination of Latin Mass and a traditional African musical ceremony. David Fanshaw composed the original work more than 25 years ago after traveling along the Nile River from Egypt to Kenya.

With the help of School of Music Prof. Robert Harris, Fanshaw has revised the piece since it was performed at NU last year.

“Even those who saw it last year will be quite eager to hear it this year as well,” Bolino said. “It was very well-received last year and even if it hadn’t been revised, a lot of people would still be interested.”

Harris, who will conduct the performance, said pre-recorded audio from Fanshaw’s visits among African societies is incorporated with live performances by NU musicians. A dancer and an African master drummer also will join the musicians.

“It’s really an amazing piece to see and perform,” Harris said. “The music is very interesting — it’s very rhythmic and plaintive at the same time.”

The Women’s Chorus will round out the month of religious music on May 31 with a performance of Brahms and Britten as well as Libby Larsen’s “Canticle of Mary.”