On Tuesday, April 21, 2015, VocalEssence had the honor of participating in a true love story—a marriage proposal delivered via the VocalEssence Chorus with a piece composed by Mexican composer Novelli Jurado, a composer-in-residence for our ¡Cantaré! in Rochester school program.

Novelli met Michelle Eng, his now-fiancé, while working with the 2012-2013 season of VocalEssence ¡Cantaré!, a music education initiative that brings Mexican composers to work in Minnesota classrooms. On Tuesday night, he proposed to her via the voices of VocalEssence, the organization that brought them together. Congratulations to Novelli and Michelle!

Novelli Jurado is an award-winning composer from Mexico City, whose works have been presented and broadcasted in Mexico, Canada and the United States. His work combines composition, sound engineering and performance, fusing them into the music production industry. His music will be performed at the Rochester ¡Cantaré! Community Concert on Monday, April 27, 2015 at 7 pm at Bethel Lutheran Church.