A new VocalEssence program is working wonders for senior singers and their communities! Vintage Voices, which integrates the arts into the lives of older adults by creating choirs in assisted living communities and senior centers, has inspired older adults at Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood (shown above in their spring concert video), Sabathani Community Center Senior… Read More →
I agree to purchase one (1) item for each score that I intend to distribute. The price of the item represents one (1) copy of the item. Example: A chorus needs 30 copies of a PDF score that costs $1.95 and orders 30 items for a total cost of $58.50. The purchaser receives a link… Read More →
The VocalEssence WITNESS School Program offers partner schools the opportunity for students to interact with one of our WITNESS Teaching Artists, who explore the yearly program theme through their artistic discipline. Teaching Artists create an integrative academic experience for students combining the study of African American culture with art, music, social studies, literature, character building… Read More →
Members of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and Magnum Chorum, led by guest conductor Mark Stover, artistic director of Magnum Chorum, engaged the audience with “Blessed Assurance” during the sing-along portion of their performance at Lyngblomsten Mid-Summer Festival in St. Paul on Saturday, July 11, 2015. The performance and sing-along of hymns, spirituals and choral classics… Read More →
By Graydon Royce Star Tribune July 2, 2015 — 3:00 pm Video (03:27): It takes Don Shelby two hours to transform into Mark Twain for the L’Homme Dieu Theatre production of River Songs with Mark Twain in Alexandria, Minn. Alexandria, Minn. – The show started about midnight. High above the campfire audience at Theatre L’Homme… Read More →
For just about as long she can remember, Judy Drobeck has been singing. It started as it does for many children, “singing rounds and part songs with my family as we rode in the car or did the dishes—as early as 2 or 3 years old,” according to Judy. “My older sisters had learned some… Read More →
VocalEssence performed with the Rolling Stones on stage during their one-night-only performance June 3 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, a stop on the 15-city North American ZIP CODE Tour. VocalEssence Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle and Associate Conductor Phillip Shoultz both conducted. “It was an amazing experience,” Philip Brunelle told MPR News, when… Read More →
Jon Collins · Jun 4, 2015 Listen Story audio 3min 54sec Mick Jagger in Minneapolis Jeff Wheeler | Star Tribune via AP VocalEssence artistic director Philip Brunelle didn’t hesitate when the Rolling Stones asked if his choir would perform on the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at the band’s Minneapolis show. “I said,… Read More →
By Pamela Espeland | 06/04/15 Philip Brunelle has rubbed elbows, figuratively speaking, with a lot of greats. Not long after founding VocalEssence in 1969, he called Aaron Copland and invited him to Minnesota to conduct a performance of his choral music. Surprised and delighted – he was always asked to conduct his symphonies, but never… Read More →
Posted: Jun 02, 2015 9:47 PM CDT Updated: Jun 03, 2015 8:42 AM CDT by Ted Haller MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – Over 50 years ago, the Rolling Stones first played Minnesota. It was 1964 and the gig was at the now closed Excelsior Amusement Park dance hall (closed in 1973) where they were reportedly booed… Read More →
(Photo: VocalEssence) May 27, 2015 By William Wilcoxen Like the rest of us, the singers in the Twin Cities choral group VocalEssence can’t always get what they want. If they want to sing with the Rolling Stones, though, that can be arranged. In fact, it has been. VocalEssence announced Wednesday that the group will appear… Read More →
Mick Jagger, from left, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones perform to a sold-out crowd during the kickoff concert of their 15-city North American stadium, ZIP CODE tour, in San Diego on May 24, 2015. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TDF Productions) Pioneer Press Posted: 05/27/2015 12:01:00 AM… Read More →
The VocalEssence production of The Radio Hour snagged a national debut in May on American Public Media’s YourClassical.org. Whether you missed the Midwest premiere performance in March or want to enjoy it all over again, take a look at this video of the 40-minute choral opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. The VocalEssence… Read More →
After 12 weeks of rehearsals, the VocalEssence Vintage Voices choirs at Sabathani Community Center Senior Center (shown in the video above), Open Circle at Heritage Park Senior Services Center and Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood performed concerts at their respective locations; the concerts were free and open to the public with a reception following. All were… Read More →
We are very excited and honored to announce today a wonderful addition to our VocalEssence team. G. Phillip Shoultz, III will be joining Philip Brunelle as the new full-time Associate Conductor of VocalEssence this July. This is an expanded position with our organization, one that we hope will have far-reaching impact on both VocalEssence and… Read More →
