VocalEssence offers WITNESS partner schools the opportunity for their students to interact with one of our VocalEssence Teaching Artists. Teaching Artists explore the yearly program theme through their artistic discipline, creating an integrative academic experience for students combining the study of African American culture with art, music, social studies, literature, character building, and other areas… Read More →
Sing a wide range of music—from classical to hip-hop & everything in between Perform in world-class venues—Orchestra Hall, The Ordway Center for Performing Arts Awaken your creativity by studying voice, dance, theatre, and spoken word Travel throughout the state and region Rehearse at Augsburg University to provide exposure to life in college Belong to an accepting community of your peers from… Read More →
Each year dozens of experienced singers from the Twin Cities and beyond audience or interview to be a part of the VocalEssence performing ensembles. If you’d like to sing with us, please click on the page below. VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers Come and sing with one of our adult choirs, the VocalEssence Chorus or… Read More →
For Artistic Director Philip Brunelle, the end of the concert season with our Bob Dylan tribute was a festive conclusion to season 50! Now we are in the midst of finalizing plans for season 51 and beyond. The month of May is also filled with auditions – about 50 hours’ worth. Each year those in… Read More →
by Margie Newman | CitySouth Magazine May/June 2019 Issue: https://citysouthmagazine.com/local-vocal-group-gives-elders-sheer-joy-making-music-together Elders connect through song. Minneapolis-based VocalEssence recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. VocalEssence engages people of all ages and cultures through choral music programming. They perform in ensembles, provide school curricula and about four years ago they began Vintage Voices, an initiative to engage elders in choral music.… Read More →
by El Minnesota de Hoy | El Minnesota de Hoy abril 23, 2019: http://www.elminnesotadehoy.com/21-de-mayo-vocalessence-cantare-celebra-en-el-ordway-el-sonido-de-mexico/ VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! invita a un compositor mexicano a escuelas de las ciudades gemelas para un enriquecedor programa de residencia artística y cultural. Minneapolis, MN. Un concierto en el Ordway celebrando la música de México cerrará este año el programa VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! y… Read More →
By Jon Bream and Chris Riemenschneider | Star Tribune APRIL 26, 2019 — 11:30AM: http://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-concerts-of-the-week-snoop-dogg-chris-koza-vocalessence-does-dylan-prince-tributes/509061512/ This week’s big gigs for April 26-May 2, also including Neko Case, Kodak Black, Arturo Sandoval, Foals and more. Snoop Dogg (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP) Snoop Dogg: With the Roots headed to Mystic Lake this summer, Snoop’s show this week… Read More →
By Pamela Espeland | MinnPost April 24, 2019: https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/04/yellow-tree-lyric-arts-artistry-2019-20-lineups/ Photo by Guy Magno A scene from a previous production of “Another Miracle on Christmas Lake.” Take a break from downtown parking woes … in both cities. Good theater happens in places that have ample free parking just outside the door. Three robust theater companies have recently… Read More →
By: Patty Dexter | SUN Thisweek Published: April 11, 2019 https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/community/apple_valley/vocalessence-music-program-comes-to-westview-elementary/article_6c0cac8c-5bd5-11e9-8b5b-477346985913.html Two local musicians visited Westview Elementary School in Apple Valley on April 4 as part of the school’s participation in VocalEssence’s Witness program. VocalEssence is a Minnesota arts organization that “uses the power of choral music to enhance our community by producing innovative vocal… Read More →
Following the amazing success of Candide, Artistic Director Philip Brunelle was in Mexico City for meetings about the Ensemble Singers next visit there in August 2019. He and his wife Carolyn also spent four days vacationing in Oaxaca (a rarity!). On Sunday, April 7 he will accompany the five Plymouth Church soloists in a concert as… Read More →
VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! invita a un compositor mexicano a escuelas de las ciudades gemelas como parte de un enriquecedor programa de residencia artística y cultural. Minneapolis, 24 de Enero, 2019. -Un concierto en el Ordway celebrando la música de México cerrará este año el programa VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! y dará a los estudiantes de las ciudades gemelas… Read More →
By TERRY BLAIN | Special to the Star Tribune PUBLISHED: MARCH 22, 2019 — 5:48PM http://www.startribune.com/theater-latt-vocalessence-stage-leonard-bernstein-s-candide-as-the-masterpiece-it-always-was/507520572/ REVIEW: A new staging helps audiences find the brilliance in Bernstein’s misunderstood operetta. A hanging, a hurricane, a flood, a rape, plus multiple other acts of violence, all happening across a variety of countries and continents. No wonder… Read More →
by Basil Considine | Twin Cities Arts Reader March 18, 2019: https://twincitiesarts.com/2019/03/18/interview-soprano-liv-redpath-on-singing-in-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds/ Opera is seemingly everywhere in the Twin Cities in March, with productions and concerts by the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Opera, Skylark Opera Theatre, and more. Into this tangled period leaps the choral music ensemble VocalEssence, which has chosen “The Best of All Possible… Read More →
By Pamela Espeland MinnPost FEBRUARY 28, 2019 — 08:24AM https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/02/vocalessence-to-present-witness-times-two-joffrey-ballet-to-perform-anna-karenina/ VocalEssence was born in 1969 as the Plymouth Church Music Series. Just another concert series at a local church, founded by an ambitious, tireless and hypercreative choir director and organist named Philip Brunelle. In 2002, the Plymouth Music Series became VocalEssence. Today, Brunelle and his singers are… Read More →
Both Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle and Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III will be attending the national convention of ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) in Kansas City the last days of February. It is an important time for them to connect with colleagues and also to attend the premiere of Dr. André Thomas’… Read More →
