Join us as we honor the deep musical roots from which VocalEssence WITNESS sprang 30 years ago. Guiding you on the journey through spirituals, jazz, gospel, and soul will be homegrown artists—singers, actors, dancers—including two-time Billboard Gospel chart-topper Jovonta Patton and a special 30th Anniversary Community Choir. Continuing our commitment to include new voices on stage, the concert will include a world premiere arrangement of the spiritual “Witness” by Joel Thompson.

Program

Performers

• One Voice Mixed Chorus
• Jane Ramseyer Miller, conductor
• Mindy Eschedor, piano
• Jovonta Patton
• 30^th Anniversary Community Choir including members from Deliverance For Youth Reunion, MN State Baptist Convention Youth Choir (Treasures), and North Central Singers
• VocalEssence Teaching Artists:
  • Timothy Berry
  • Patricia Brown
  • Brandon Commodore
  • Ginger Commodore
  • Karla Nweje
  • T. Mychael Rambo
  • Anita Ruth
  • Roxane Wallace
• VocalEssence Chorus, Ensemble Singers, & VocalEssence Singers Of This Age
• Mary Jo Gothmann. piano
• Philip Brunelle, conductor
• G. Phillip Shoultz, III, conductor

Three Things to Know

• In 1991, VocalEssence created WITNESS to celebrate the artistic contributions of African Americans to the fine arts and to our common cultural heritage.
• Throughout the years, the VocalEssence WITNESS program has featured artists such as Bobby McFerrin, James Earl Jones, Rita Dove, Billy Taylor, the Morehouse College Glee Club, Spelman College Glee Club, and Moore by Four.
• A 50-minute version of this concert will be performed for more than 5,000 students grades K-12 on Monday, February 24, 2020.

Concert Program

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