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 VOCALESSENCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS HOME STATE WITH “CALL OF THE NORTH” 

Minnesota choral ensemble presents an evening (or afternoon or morning – you choose!)  of uniquely Minnesotan music and poetry  

MINNEAPOLIS — February 5, 2021 — VocalEssence has spent much of its half century celebrating sounds and voices from all corners of the globe. Now the celebrated vocal ensemble is taking its inspiration from its own backyard, with a show dedicated to lifting the voices of Minnesota composers and poets.  

 “Call of the North,” premiering Sunday, March 28, will feature the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers performing works from notable Minnesota composers including Dominick Argento, Stephen Paulus, and Libby Larsen, as well as new voices like Reinaldo Moya and Shruthi Rajasekar. Minnesota poets including Mary Moore Easter, Michael Dennis Browne, and Patricia Hampl will also be on hand to read poems of their own. 

 “There is an old saying about no one being a prophet in their own hometown,” says Philip Brunelle, founder and artistic director, VocalEssence. “With ‘Call of the North,’ we are creating a program to recognize and celebrate the amazing talent we have in our midst. The addition of poets to our usual musical fare will be a special treat for audiences with an affinity for our state. And now anyone anywhere will be able to enjoy a little slice of Minnesota brilliance, including Carol Barnett’s gorgeous ‘When All Falls Silent,’ written for The King’s Singers 2020 New Music Prize.”  

Digital access is currently available as part of a VocalEssence On Demand 2020-2021 Subscription for $49 per household or as a single stream for $15 per household. Essential workers, unemployed people, those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and their caregivers are eligible for free subscriptions. To purchase a single stream or subscribe, visit https://www.vocalessence.org/vocalessence-on-demand/. The program will premiere on March 28, from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm, and will be available online until June 30, 2021.  

Performers will include:   

• VocalEssence Ensemble Singers  
• Mary Jo Gothmann, piano  
• Philip Brunelle, conductor  
• Michael Dennis Browne, poet  
• Anthony Ceballos, poet  
• Mary Moore Easter, poet  
• Patricia Hampl, poet  
• Anna George Meek, poet  

 The program will include: 

• In Praise of Apollo (from A Nation of Cowslips) by Dominick Argento  
• When All Falls Silent by Carol Barnett  
• He Heard My Cries by Timothy Berry  
• I Will Be A Hummingbird by Steve Heitzeg  
• The Children’s Orchard by Libby Larsen  
• Tienda de Abarrotes by Reinaldo Moya  
• The Day is Done by Stephen Paulus  
• Jayjaykar! by Shruthi Rajasekar  
• All the Beautiful Names by Timothy Takach  
• Forever Toward You by David Evan Thomas 

VocalEssence, called “one of the irreplaceable music ensembles of our time” by Dana Gioia, past chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, impacts thousands of students, singers, and composers each year through its initiative programs, contests, and support for innovative art. VocalEssence was founded in 1969 and has debuted more than 150 commissions and world premieres. For more information, visit www.vocalessence.org.  

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