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Voz en Punto: Mexican Sextet Will Be Immersed in Minnesota Communities

When VocalEssence brings in a group like Voz en Punto for VocalEssence Presents: Voz en Punto on November 15, we engage them in more than the performance—we want them to work with all aspects of the community! From November 13-16, the group will visit schools, lead a community sing and perform as part of a…  Read More

Voz en Punto Program Peek: ‘Bésame Mucho’ & ‘Tilingolingo’

https://vimeo.com/70340076 Voz en Punto is “one of the world’s great vocal sextets,” says VocalEssence Artistic Director Philip Brunelle. “This amazing group of singers has a 25-year history of celebrating the musical culture of Mexico, past and present, as well as performing music from around the world. Their blend, their flexibility, and their love for music…  Read More

From Reviews to Reflections, Powerful ‘Dreams of the Fallen’ Resonates Deeply

Exquisite, moving, and remarkable are words that have been used to describe the VocalEssence Dreams of the Fallen concert on Sunday, October 11 at the O’Shaughnessy, performed by the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Jeffrey Biegel and Maria Jette, and featuring the Midwest premiere of Jake Runestad’s Dreams of the Fallen.…  Read More

MEET OUR MUSIC MAKERS: Chorus Member KatiLee M. Larson Is ‘So Happy to Be Here!’

The VocalEssence Chorus is an exceptional group of 90 talented, committed singers from many walks of life—doctors, lawyers, nurses, educators, homemakers, business people and others—most with college-level or higher training in classical music and voice. Our 32-voice professional choir, the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, is known as one of Minnesota’s most highly trained and experienced group…  Read More

Star Tribune: Minneapolis composer Jake Runestad connects with veterans’ struggles

Young Minneapolis composer Jake Runestad connects with the struggles of war veterans in “Dreams of the Fallen.” By Kristin Tillotson, Star Tribune OCTOBER 4, 2015 — 2:00PM Photos by RICHARD TSONG-TAATARII • rtsong.taatarii@startribune.com Minneapolis composer Jake Runestad, a rising figure on the national classical scene, ties topical issues to his music. On Sunday VocalEssence performs…  Read More

Nordic Nativity

VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers Sara Pajunen, fiddle Philip Brunelle, conductor Released in October 2015, Nordic Nativity is a wonderful exploration of beautiful music from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark—some of it familiar and some of it new. The Nordic composers have a marvelous way of spinning a melody that gets inside you and stays there!…  Read More

Honoring Veterans’ Stories and Service with Veterans’ Voices Programs

VocalEssence has partnered with the Minnesota Humanities Center’s Veterans’ Voices Program, which draws on the power of the humanities to call attention to the stories and contributions of veterans. This initiative amplifies, honors and recognizes the stories and contributions of Minnesota veterans in their own voice through plays, art, discussion groups, and the Veterans’ Voices…  Read More

Preview ‘Controlled Burn,’ on the Program for Dreams of the Fallen

For those who would like a preview of one of the pieces that will be performed at the VocalEssence Dreams of the Fallen concert on October 11, 2015, which features songs of survival, hope and healing, here is a look at “Controlled Burn.” The VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, conducted by Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, performed “Controlled…  Read More

Composer Jake Runestad Invites You to Dreams of the Fallen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4EWANvsp4&feature=youtu.be October is Veterans’ Voices Month, as proclaimed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2014, and VocalEssence will open our 47th Season on October 11 with Dreams of the Fallen, a tribute to U.S. military Veterans. Jake Runestad, whose monumental work with Iraq war Veteran and poet Brian Turner provides the centerpiece and title for the…  Read More

MEET OUR MUSIC MAKERS: Ensemble Singer Robert C. Smith Is Excited About ‘Unknown’ in Dreams of the Fallen

The VocalEssence Chorus is an exceptional group of 90 talented, committed singers from many walks of life—doctors, lawyers, nurses, educators, homemakers, business people and others—most with college-level or higher training in classical music and voice. Our 32-voice professional choir, the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, is known as one of Minnesota’s most highly trained and experienced group…  Read More

Nordic Nativity Recording Samples

From Heaven High, arr. Gunnar Idenstam Performers: VocalEssence Ensemble Singers; Sara Pajunen, fiddle   Ringen i Klocker, arr. Gunnar Idenstam Performers: VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers; Sara Pajunen, fiddle