In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Gabriel Fauré. Gabriel Fauré 1845-1924 As one of the leading French composers of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, Gabriel Fauré played an integral role in the development of French music. Outside of his work… Read More →
For more than 50 years, VocalEssence has connected with you with world-class artists, and now you can be inspired by their creativity and beauty from the comfort of your own home. Starting April 30, join us at 7 PM every Thursday for a 30 minute live stream let by Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III.… Read More →
We hope you are safe and find ways to make the best of this pause that we are experiencing. Below is a status update for our organization. SING WITH US VIRTUALLY While VocalEssence is physically distancing, we continue to look for ways to use the healing power of music to socially connect and keep people… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Sydney Guillaume. Sydney Guillaume b. 1982 With his spirited, rhythmic, and passionate compositions, Sydney Guillaume captivates singers and audiences around the world. Guillaume is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, graduated from the University of Miami in… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Daniel Kantor. Daniel Kantor b. 1960 As a composer, Daniel Kantor is best known for his beloved and widely popular piece “Night of Silence”. Additionally, Kantor is very active outside of the music world. Kantor… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Steve Heitzeg. This episode includes a world premiere written by Steve called Water on Rocks Waltz, which was composed in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and is dedicated to Will Steger. Steve… Read More →
VocalEssence is pleased to share with you that we have been accepted into the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. Supported by… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Jocelyn Hagen. Jocelyn Hagen b. 1980 Jocelyn Hagen is a distinguished and innovative composer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hagen’s musical talents were apparent from an early age, as she accompanied a choir in Valley City,… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Randall Davidson. Randall Davidson b. 1953 Minnesota composer Randall Davidson is praised for the originality, humor, and passion in his works. Davidson studied at Cornell College under Alf Houkom and at the University of Minnesota… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 1875-1912 The gifted English composer, conductor, and professor Samuel Coleridge-Taylor achieved great popularity during his life. He was the son of a Sierra Leone doctor and an English woman. Coleridge-Taylor studied… Read More →
Ballet dancers, jazz musicians, the Minnesota Orchestra, VocalEssence—they’re keeping us entertained and themselves in good shape By Erik Tormoen https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/arts-entertainment/feeling-fine-with-the-fine-arts-6-ways-to-enjoy-online/ G. Phillip Shoultz III, conductor of the Twin Cities’ VocalEssence choral ensemble, sits at a piano, belting Ella Fitzgerald’s “Blue Skies,” livestreaming from his home—because it’s another morning of self-quarantine, and this is what he’s doing… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Dave Brubeck. Dave Brubeck 1920-2012 The highly acclaimed composer and musician Dave Brubeck was born into a musical family in Concord, California. He studied at the College of the Pacific before enlisting in the Army… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland 1900-1990 Prolific and beloved American composer Aaron Copland was born into a family of Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, New York. He studied piano, music theory, and composition from his sister Laurine,… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Dame Ethel Smyth. Dame Ethel Smyth 1858-1944 Dame Ethel Smyth was a British composer, writer, and feminist born into a military, upper middle-class family in London, England. She studied harmony and counterpoint in Leipzig, Germany… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer John Rutter. John Rutter b. 1945 Prolific composer John Rutter captures audiences around the world with his choral compositions and arrangements. Rutter attended Highgate School in London and went on to study at Clare College,… Read More →
