VocalEssence – Philip Brunelle, artistic director

Mission Statement

¡Cantaré! will actively engage VocalEssence audiences and the wider community in the discovery, celebration and creation of music from Mexican traditions of the past and present.

Objectives:

• Discover and celebrate Mexican musical traditions (past and present)
• Nurture the creation of new quality choral music in partnership with Mexican composers
• Create a series of bilingual educational materials, published music & CDs for choral groups, singers & schools using established best practices
• Encourage singing in schools while instilling and celebrating cultural pride and awareness of Mexico's heritage throughout the community

About the Residencies

• In the 2008-2009 school year, three Mexican composers will work with students to explore improvisation, composition, Latin rhythms & discover the potential of their own voice

• Composers will write new music for students to perform at the VocalEssence community concert at Orchestra Hall on May 12, 2009

• VocalEssence will develop a teacher resource guide and a companion CD that addresses social, historical and cultural contexts of Mexican choral music that teachers can use as a springboard for integration into the school curriculum before, between and after residencies.

About the Composers

Sabina Covarrubias is a multi-talented Mexican composer who has written works for a variety of instruments and voices. In 2004, Covarrubias won the National Prize of Choral Music Composition in Mexico.

Jorge Córdoba, a native of Mexico City, has gained prominence as a composer and conductor, performing throughout his homeland, as well as Spain, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Hungary and the U.S.A. He has served as Artistic Director for several well-known choirs, receiving numerous prizes for his musical activities.

Artistic Director of Niños Cantores de Tepotzotlan, Choir Kantorei CEDROS-UP and conductor and baritone of Concierto Latinoamericano, Jorge Cózatl has produced vocal arrangements for different folk tunes of mainly of Latin American music.

About the Partner Schools

Local partner schools have been contacted and are verbally committed to participate in the program. The program will instill cultural pride in children of Latino heritage while also bringing a greater appreciation of Mexican music to the mainstream.

The schools include:

• Saint Paul Central, Saint Paul
• Southwest High School, Minneapolis
• Eden Prairie High School, Eden Prairie
• Windom Spanish Dual Immersion, Minneapolis
• Burroughs Community School, Minneapolis
• Battle Creek Elementary, St. Paul
• Partnership Academy, Richfield
• St. Olaf College, Northfield

For more information contact: Kimberly Meisten, Director of Community Engagement, VocalEssence, 612.547.1456, kmeisten@vocalessence.org