Our brand new choir made up of local high school students has a holiday gift to share—check out the video above to hear their incredible performance of “Deck the Halls.” The young singers have been hard at work learning to perform as a unified chorus, and will celebrate their inaugural concert at VocalEssence WITNESS: Of Such…  Read More →

December is a music-filled month for our hard-working conductors, Artistic Director Philip Brunelle and Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III. They led performers in introducing a new generation of choral music fans to holiday carols in the sold out Star of Wonder concerts, and carried on a beloved tradition with the Welcome Christmas concert series.…  Read More →

Following the very successful and sold out Bach & Bluegrass Jamboree performance, Artistic Director Philip Brunelle and Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III led performers in recording selections to be included in a new cd titled Mortals & Angels: A Bluegrass Te Deum that will be available on December 1, 2017. Both conductors will be busy at…  Read More →

It is concert week for the VocalEssence Vintage Voices programs at Parkshore Senior Community in St. Louis Park and Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley. Both choirs have been working hard with conductor Rob Graham and accompanist John Jensen. The Vintage Voices program from VocalEssence brings the many benefits—physical, psychological, and social—of choral participation to older…  Read More →

Artistic Director Philip Brunelle is presently in Seoul, South Korea conducting an all-American concert with one of Korea’s finest professional choirs, the Ansan City Choir. Included in the program is “Peter Quince at the Clavier” by Dominick Argento, to celebrate Argento’s 90th birthday on October 27. When he returns, he will have a number of…  Read More →

A wonderful month ahead with lots of music-making! The first rehearsals have begun for the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers. Osmo Vänskä comes to rehearsal next week as the Ensemble Singers prepare for the Finland concerts with Osmo on clarinet and Sara Pajunen on fiddle. Don’t miss one of these September 24 concerts at the…  Read More →

Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director & Founder July and August have definitely been ‘music months’ for me. July began with many planning meetings for the coming season and the first week concluded with an amazing patriotic event at the Anoka airport with 24 VocalEssence singers and 5000 motorcyclists and their motorcycles! Then off to Barcelona for the…  Read More →

The ensemble of solo piano, chorus, and orchestra provides a formidable challenge to any composer given its sheer size, sonic power, and infinite textural and color possibilities. While planning for this work, I sought thematic material that would allow the piano to embody a character or person who could speak clearly and directly to the listener. During this conception…  Read More →

Hear more hammered dulcimer by Stu Janis at the VocalEssence Welcome Christmas concerts December 9, 10, and 11, 2016 in Roseville and Minneapolis, MN. Click here for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbVj707Pc-U Melanie DeMore invites you to bring your family and friends to VocalEssence WITNESS: Underground Railroad this season.