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Through singing, movement, spoken word, and visual art, VocalEssence Singers Of This Age and guest artists invite us to envision a world where we listen to and learn from each other. This concert affirms our belief that every person is worthy of acceptance. It is a call, in the midst of it all, to choose love. Choosing Love features new choral standards and co-created original works marking the artistic culmination of a year of conversations and learning.
VocalEssence Singers Of This Age
G. Phillip Shoultz, III, conductor, piano
Sam Reeves, keyboard
Brian Kendrick, drums
Choosing Love is a collaboratively curated concert experience developed through a season of continuous learning and conversation. The VocalEssence Singers Of This Age challenge us to grapple with the past and present injustices plaguing our society and invite us to envision a world where we listen to and learn from each other. The program affirms our belief that every person is worthy of acceptance, reminds us of our interconnectedness, and call us, in the midst of it all, to choose love.
speaker: Ricquelle Miles
composer: Kayla Gibson, accompaniment by GPS III
soloist: Kayla Gibson
speakers: Izzie (Bun) Bogie, Joshua Hoffman, and Isa Benegas
composer: Mark Miller
soloists: Lela Sabin, Skylar Bandelin, Ursula Beitz, and Joshua Hoffman
composer: John Stafford Smith, setting by G. Phillip Shoultz, III
speaker: Emi Sisson
composer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
soloist: Stephon Marcus
speaker: Stephon Marcus
speaker: Ricquelle Miles
composer: Kyle Pederson with additional lyrics and music by VESOTA
spoken word: Lotus Deuel and Lamawn Saul duet: Stephon Marcus and Ricquelle Miles
soloist: Ella Wright
rap section: Zaya Bates and Erin Tetter
soloists: Kayla Gibson, Ghost Olatunde, and Yee Choua Thao
creator: Yee Choua Thao
composer: Douachi Yang
duet: Yee Choua Thao and Ethan Cheng
speakers: Liana Whitlock, Ghost Olatunde, and Ma’Kiala Moore
composer: Coty Raven Morris
soloists: Liana Whitlock and Ma’Kiala Moore
speaker: Ella Wright
composer: Don Macdonald
soloist: Kayla Gibson
composer: Julio Morales
soloist: Isa Benegas
speaker: Erin Tetter
composer: Joshuah Campbell & Cynthia Erivo, arr. Mac Huff
soloists: Sylvia Morris, Jerilyn Moya-Hypolite, Soliyana Woldu
composer: Mark Miller
soloists: Josh Sabin and Acacia Johnstone
speakers: Natalie Goodman, Jerilyn Moya-Hypolite, and Guadalupe Dimayuga
composer: Glorraine Moone
soloists: Emi Sisson and Drew Fischer
*Audience Sing
composer: Traditional South African
composer: Kim Parkinson, accompaniment by GPS III and Sam Reeves
soloist: Kim Parkinson
speaker: Sylvia Morris
composer: Bill Withers, setting by G. Phillip Shoultz, III
soloists: Dede Jones, Stephon Marcus, Erin Tetter
speakers: Skylar Bandelin, Raegan Brogden, Molly Sabin
composer: Hezekiah Walker
composer: Kayla Gibson, choral setting by Kyle Pederson
soloist: Kayla Gibson
VOCALESSENCE SINGERS OF THIS AGEThe VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) is a community of Twin Cities high schoolers engaged in expanding what it means to be a choir and encouraging a wider circle of participation in the artform. Presenting music ranging from classical to hip-hop, they use creativity and collaboration to build an accepting community, equipped with the skills to lead social change in our society.
G. Phillip Shoultz, III, founding director
Rhiannon Fiskradatz, manager
Corey Cellurale, assistant director
Robert Graham and Patricia Kramer, section coaches
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