¡Cantare! VocalEssence Educational Program Links Mexican Composers with Area Schools, Churches and Choral Organizations

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (November 4, 2009) – Now in its second season, the VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Educational Program links Mexican composers with nearly 500 students and adults in the Twin Cities community through residencies in schools, churches, and choral organizations.

This cross-cultural program is designed to encourage a deeper understanding of Mexico’s rich classical musical heritage, develop a new understanding of the traditions that are melding Mexican and American cultures, and create a new body of Spanish language music for voices and instruments.  

¡Cantaré! composers Jesús López and Diana Syrse traveled to Minnesota in October 2009 to meet the ensembles (listed on page two) they will be working with for the 2009-2010 school year. After spending one week together, the composers returned to Mexico to begin writing new works, which will be delivered to the singers in January. The composers will return for a second visit in March 2010 when they will hear how rehearsals are proceeding with their brand new compositions. In addition, Jorge Córdoba will return as a ¡Cantaré! composer, writing music for the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, as well as working again with church musicians on a new hymn.

The year-long educational program culminates when the composers return for a third and final time in May 2010 for the world premiere of their compositions at a series of three VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! performances in April and May 2010.

The 2009-2010 ¡Cantaré! program builds on the tremendous success of the inaugural season which concluded on May 12, 2009 with the VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Community Concert at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.  Over 500 area students and community members sang alongside the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, performing the world premieres of works written specifically for them by composers Jorge Córdoba, Jorge Cózatl, and Sabina Covarrubias.

With nearly 2,000 audience members, the concert was an overwhelming success.  Consul of Mexico Ana Luisa Fajer Flores remarked, “I am still moved; speechless on what happened [at the performance.] It was so wonderful that words are really not enough to express my gratitude, and Mexico’s and Mexicans’ gratitude to what you have accomplished.”

For press information and photographs related to the VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Educational Program, contact Jennifer Bauer (612-547-1459, jbauer@vocalessence.org).

 

VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Composer Residencies

 

Jorge Córdoba returns to the program for a second season.  He is working with:

  • VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers and church musicians

 

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.  Part of the inaugural ¡Cantaré! program, Jorge conducted workshops and composed music for the choirs of St. Olaf College and VocalEssence, and the congregation of Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Minneapolis.

 

 

Jesús López is working with:

  • Burroughs Community School, Minneapolis  
  • Adams Spanish Immersion School, St. Paul

 

The principal organist at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico, Jesús López has extensive experience working with school-age children and has composed a variety of choral works including Suite Romántica, which was dedicated to the Children’s Choir of la Schola Cantorum in Mexico.

 

 

Diana Syrse is working with:

  • Como Park High School, St. Paul
  • Washburn High School, Minneapolis
  • Andover High School, Andover

 

Surrounded by music of all styles from a young age, Diana Syrse has a wide range of experience writing choral works for organizations such as La Coordinadora Internacional de Mujeres en el Arte and Vox LaTina as well as conducting workshops in contemporary compositional techniques.

 

 

VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Educational Program funding has been generously provided by The Minneapolis Foundation, General Mills, Best Buy, RBC Dain Rauscher, Elmer L. and Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation, and Harriett Dayton.

 

VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Community Advisory Committee

Chairman Uri Camarena, Business Consultant, MEDA
Sandy Agustin, Arts Consultant, Neighborhood House, St. Paul
Martha Driessen, Community Volunteer
Ana Luisa Fajer Flores, Consulate of Mexico, St. Paul
Mara Garcia Kaplan 
Gustavo Lira, Artist
Carlos Lopez, President, Casa Travel
Gloria Perez, President & CEO, Jeremiah Program
Laura Robinson, Community Volunteer
Edgardo Rodriguez, Business Consultant, MEDA
R. Craig Shulstad, VocalEssence Chorus Member & Community Volunteer
Alejandro Suarez, Attorney, Fredrickson and Byron
Sandra L. Vargas, President & CEO, The Minneapolis Foundation
Christian Zepeda, Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor, Global Wealth Management Group
Ex-Officio: Consul Nathan Wolf, Director General de Promoción, Económica Internacional, México