Where in the World Are the Conductors? October 2023

Philip Brunelle:

The 55th VocalEssence season is in full swing and Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence Founder and Artistic Director, is delighted to be rehearsing music for the October 29 opening concert with the Ensemble Singers and the Chorus. In late August he spent 10 days in Brittany and then visited daughter Elise and family in Vermont with his wife Carolyn. They returned in time to visit the Minnesota State Fair where Carolyn had a painting on display in the Fine Arts building. Special appearances in September included performing with the Ensemble Singers at the Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund dinner, accompanying Greta Ogelsby for a Translucence fundraiser, appearing at the first VocalEssence “House Concert” of the season at the home of Margaret Chutich and Penny Wheeler, and collaborating once again at Crooners’ with soprano Maria Jette. Philip has also begun his 55th year as Organist-Choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.

G. Phillip Shoultz, III:

The end of the summer included a flurry of activity for Associate Artistic Director G. Phillip Shoultz, III (GPS) as he curated events commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In conjunction with the University of Minnesota and the Dream Initiative, Phillip led a short march across campus that culminated with “Let Freedom Ring.” Over 100 artists joined together to perform for the nearly 1,500 people in attendance at Northrop auditorium. Later that week, Phillip led VocalEssence Singers Of This Age and members of Sabathani Vintage Voices in a highly entertaining and energetic performance on the Dan Patch stage at the State Fair. This performance was sponsored by UCare as part of their Stretch and Stroll initiative. All of this activity along with continuing the planning process for the 2023-2024 Season, was accompanied by the completion of a significant landscaping project that Phillip designed and mounted (with his family)—transplanting hostas, moving rocks, adding soil, and laying the sod—transforming his backyard into a beautiful green space.