Basilica of St. Mary Cathedral Choir
Patrick Schneider, conductor | Samuel Holmberg, organist
Central Lutheran Choir
Joseph Osowski, conductor | Isaac Drewes, organist
House of Hope Presbyterian Motet Choir
Matthew Culloton, conductor | Aaron David Miller, organist
St. Mark’s Cathedral Choir
Ray Johnston, conductor
Saint Paul Cathedral Choir
Christopher Ganza, conductor
Plymouth Congregational Church Choir
Philip Brunelle, conductor
Westminster Choir
Amanda Weber, conductor
Sir James MacMillan, conductor of combined choir
Welcome
From time to time VocalEssence has invited a composer of international esteem to spend a week with us, sharing something of what has made them such an important figure in choral music with a need to be heard in our community. Our guests have included Rodion Shchedrin (Russia), Billy Taylor (USA), Einojuhani Rautavaara (Finland), William Bolcom (USA), and Gerald Finzi (England) in absentia, represented by his English colleagues.
This year it is our delight to welcome Sir James MacMillan for a week of concerts, classes, and conversations. Sir James has composed music for many of the world’s major orchestras, choirs, and soloists. It is an honor for us to perform the US premiere of The Sun Danced, to present the world premiere of Haec Dies, and to celebrate the many other choral works that have made his music so important and recognized around the world. And—how wonderful to have Sir James with us as conductor!
In addition to his outstanding composition and conducting work, Sir James has a life-long passion for working with young people. We are pleased that he has been able to spend time this week with high school and college students, encouraging them to improvise and helping them with their conducting technique.
When I met Sir James MacMillan 4 years ago in Gloucester, England at a lecture he gave at the Three Choirs Festival, I immediately knew that VocalEssence would want him to come to Minnesota for a festival of his music. We are honored that he responded favorably to my invitation. Welcome, Sir James, to Minnesota—we are thrilled to have you in our midst for these memorable days!
—Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director and Founder, VocalEssence
PROGRAM
All works composed by Sir James MacMillan
AVE MARIA (HAIL MARY) (2010) Basilica of St. Mary Cathedral Choir
WHO SHALL SEPARATE US (2022) Westminster Choir
SERENITY (2009) Central Lutheran Choir
CHRISTUS VINCIT (CHRIST CONQUERS)
from THE STRATHCLYDES MOTETS (1994) St. Mark’s Cathedral Choir
BENEDICIMUS DEUM CAELI (BLESS THE GOD OF HEAVEN)
from THE STRATHCLYDES MOTETS (2010) Plymouth Congregational Church Choir
A NEW SONG (1997) House of Hope Presbyterian Motet Choir
O RADIANT DAWN (2007) Saint Paul Cathedral Choir
HAEC DIES (THIS IS THE DAY) (2025)* All Choirs; Christopher Ganza, organist
Sir James MacMillan, conductor
* World Premiere
Texts
AVE MARIA (HAIL MARY)
Sung in Latin
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you,
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
WHO SHALL SEPARATE US?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Alleluia! —Romans 8:35a, 38b-end
SERENITY
Sung in Latin
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to all below.
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change; courage to change the things
I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time
and accepting hardship as the way to peace;
trusting that he will make all things right
if I surrender to his will.
To thy great name be endless praise
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
O, grant us endless length of days,
In our true native land with thee.
Amen. —Latin text: St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) English text adapted from The Serenity Prayer, attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
CHRISTUS VINCIT (CHRIST CONQUERS)
Sung in Latin
Christ conquers,
Christ is King,
Christ is Lord of all.
Alleluia!
BENEDICIMUS DEUM CAELI (BLESS THE GOD OF HEAVEN)
Sung in Latin
Let us bless the God of heaven and utter his praises
before all who live; for he has dealt with us according
to his mercy. —Tobias 12:6
A NEW SONG
Oh, sing unto the Lord a new song,
Sing unto the Lord all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord and praise His name,
be telling of His salvation from day to day.
For He cometh to judge the earth,
and with righteousness to judge the world
and the people with His truth. —Psalm 96, v. 1 ,2, 13
O RADIANT DAWN
Sung in Latin
O radiant dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come,
shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
Isaiah had prophesied,
‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.’ —Liber Usualis, Isaiah 9:2
HAEC DIES (THIS IS THE DAY)
Oh, sing unto the Lord a new song,
This is the day which the Lord has made:
Let us rejoice and be glad in it,
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord for he is good:
for his mercy endures forever, —Gradual for Easter Sunday, translation by Edward Tambling
Biographies
SIR JAMES MACMILLAN
Sir James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful composers and performs internationally as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience, and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian, and Eastern European music.
MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990. His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include the percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received close to 500 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and five symphonies. Recent major works include his Percussion Concerto No. 2 for Colin Currie, Violin Concerto No. 2 for Nicola Benedetti and his Symphony No. 5, written for the Sixteen, which was premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2019, as part of a major feature to celebrate his 60th birthday year.
MacMillan enjoys a successful career as conductor of his own music alongside a range of contemporary and standard repertoire, praised for the composer’s insight he brings to each score. He has conducted orchestras such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Danish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra among others. He was principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Radio Kamer Filharmonie until 2013 and composer/conductor of the BBC Philharmonic until 2009.
Highlights of the 2023-24 season included conducting the U.K. premiere of MacMillan’s Fiat Lux with BBC Symphony and Chorus and the Scottish premiere of his Christmas Oratorio with Royal Scottish National Orchestra; elsewhere he conducted the Estonian National Symphony, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony. A number of new works received premieres, including Ordo Virtutum with MDR Radio Choir in Leipzig, a new work for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, and commissioned specially to celebrate Sir Mark Elder’s final concerts as music director, the Hallé Orchestra gave the U.K. premiere of a major choral-orchestral work Timotheus, Bacchus and Cecilia.
About VocalEssence
For 56 years, VocalEssence has provided opportunities for singers from the Twin Cities area to create incredible music together and build connections as part of the vibrant arts community in Minnesota.
VocalEssence is known for introducing audiences to music and artists who are not yet known, often welcoming guest artists, composers, and conductors who are emerging, have unknown works, or represent a variety of cultures. Welcoming all members of the greater community, VocalEssence embodies the motto: Together We Sing.
VOCALESSENCE MISSION VocalEssence draws upon the power of singing together to nurture community, inspire creativity, affirm the value of all persons, and expand the influence of choral music.
VocalEssence Artistic Staff
PHILIP BRUNELLE Artistic Director and Founder
Philip Brunelle, artistic director and founder of VocalEssence 56 years ago, is an internationally-renowned conductor, choral scholar, and visionary. Philip has conducted symphonies, choral festivals, and operas on six continents. He holds five honorary degrees, served 9 years as Vice President of IFCM (International Federation for Choral Music), and has been recognized for his commitment to choral music by the governments of Norway, Hungary, Sweden, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In 2019, he was awarded the American Prize in Choral Conducting and, in 2020, was given the Honorary Member Award by the Society for American Music. Last fall Philip was appointed a National Arts Associate of the Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. Philip is also Organist-Choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis. During the pandemic Philip recorded 300 “Musical Moments” which can be accessed at vocalessence.org/category/musical-moments and his thoughts on music are at RenaissanceManpodcast.com. Philip and his wife Carolyn, a studio artist, have 3 children (Tim, Christopher, and Elise) and 7 grandchildren.
G. PHILLIP SHOULTZ, III Associate Artistic Director G. Phillip Shoultz, III, associate artistic director, inspires action and fosters community among people of all ages and abilities through song and spoken word. He is Artistic Director of Sing Democracy 250, a national initiative of the Together In Hope Project, and the University of Minnesota Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert. Phillip is Cantor for Worship, Music, and the Arts at Westwood Lutheran Church and serves on the faculty of the University of St. Thomas, where he leads the Graduate Choral Conducting program. Phillip gives voice to the Songs of Freedom series on Minnesota Public Radio and hosts concerts for the Minnesota Orchestra. He creates content for SonoVoice (the Fitbit for voice) and is founder of “Table for More”, a platform addressing issues of innovation, equity, racial justice, and belonging in the arts. Phillip is engaged across the U.S. and beyond as a conductor, clinician, and worship curator/leader. He is published with Galaxy Music and is the winner of numerous honors, including the ACDA Graduate Conducting Competition and multiple Teacher of the Year awards. Phillip lives in St. Louis Park with his wife, Michelle, and their two children (Malachi and Lydia Grace).
ROBERT GRAHAM Learning and Engagement Manager Conductor, Vintage Voices
Robert Graham is the Learning and Engagement Manager at VocalEssence where he serves as the conductor for the VocalEssence Vintage Voices choirs, and oversees the renowned VocalEssence WITNESS School Program. Robert has a Master of Music degree in both vocal performance and choral conducting from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and a B.A. in vocal performance from Xavier University of Louisiana. Robert currently serves as a section leader of the adult choir at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, sings second tenor in the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, and also
performs around the Twin Cities as a solo and chamber musician.
CASEY RAFN Accompanist
Pianist Casey Rafn enjoys a varied career as a collaborative pianist both in the United States and abroad, in Europe and Latin America. He is a member of ‘Trés’, whose saxophone-piano trio was just nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Album for their new album “Romance al Campesino Porteño.” Casey often collaborates in concert or recordings with members of the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and University of Minnesota School of Music faculty. As a piano soloist he took top prizes at the International Liszt-Garrison Competition in Baltimore, has appeared with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra, and has taught at both the University of Minnesota School of Music and the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts.
JOHN JENSEN Accompanist, VocalEssence Vintage Voices
John Jensen received his music degrees in Southern California, where he attended Occidental College and University of Southern California. While there he free-lanced as a studio musician, playing on the Andy Williams show and touring the country with prominent singers through Columbia Artists Management. He moved to Iowa and taught for 15 years at Grinnell College as an artist-in-residence. In 1990, John moved to St. Paul and has played with VocalEssence, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. He plays jazz and classical piano around the area, including performances with the Bloomingtones, a traveling senior choir based in Bloomington, MN. In 2023, John recorded a piano concerto by the late Paul Reale with the Yale Symphony Orchestra at Yale University which was released by Naxos records.
The VocalEssence Chorus is a group of talented and enthusiastic singers from many different walks of life, united by their love of singing and community. Performing a wide variety of musical styles, premiering new works, and sharing the stage with a diverse array of guest artists, the Chorus is a welcome home for singers who wish to continue making music throughout their adult lives.
The VocalEssence Ensemble Singers have established an international reputation because of their extensive catalog of recordings and broad range of unique repertoire. This chamber choir, whose members hail from a wide variety of professions, is bound together by their skilled artistry to create what The Times of London has described as a “flawless” sound.
VocalEssence Singers Of This Age 2024-25, photo credit-Ethan Kellum Johnson
The VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (SOTA) is a community of Twin Cities teenagers 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.
VocalEssence Vintage Voices is an exciting choral program that integrates the arts into the everyday lives of older adults. Guided by a desire to create a welcoming atmosphere and remove barriers for participation, these choirs sing to build community, combat loneliness and isolation, and improve physical and emotional wellbeing.
Torrie Allen
Anna Boyle
Tanya M. Bransford
Philip Brunelle
Ben Brunnette
Martha Driessen
Cassandra Garnett
Brianna Hill
Daniel Kantor
Lisa Merklin Lewis
Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed
Richard Neuner
Kristine Oberg
Jim Odland
Anna Ostroushko
Doug Parish
Joanne Reeck
G. Phillip Shoultz, III
Jeff Smith
Amanda Storm Schuster
Timothy C. Takach
Bob Thacker
Mary Tjosvold
Elizabeth Truesdell Smith
Amy Jaine Wielunski
LIFETIME DIRECTORS
Ann Barkelew
Ann Buran
Art Kaemmer
Nikki Lewis
Mike McCarthy*
Dave Mona
Fred Moore
Don Shelby
Dorene Wernke
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Dominick Argento*
William Bolcom
Dave Brubeck*
Stewart Copeland
Aaron Copland*
Håkan Hagegård
Louise Heffelfinger*
Eskil Hemberg*
Betty Hulings*
Sigrid Johnson*
James Earl Jones*
Garrison Keillor
Donald Mitchell*
Helmuth Rilling
John Rutter
Peter Schickele
Dr. André J. Thomas
Eric Whitacre *In remembrance
VocalEssence has a large group of committed supporters and is honored by the many gifts received in memory, appreciation, and celebration of friends and family that are too many to list in this concert program.
Please click the button below to see a full list of supporters and special tributes.
Support for this concert has been provided by a grant from the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, in gratitude for the many years that VocalEssence has presented choral music of the highest caliber at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. More information about the Cathedral Heritage Foundation’s preservation, arts, and education mission can be found at cathedralheritagefoundation.org.
Special Thanks
Boosey & Hawkes
Cathedral of Saint Paul
Chris Ganza
Fr. Joseph Johnson
Catherine Gibbs
Minnesota Orchestra Marketing and Communications Staff
FEATURING:
