On September 24, many gathered together at the Hilton Minneapolis for the VocalEssence Gala 2022: Celebration of Song, which celebrated all the ways singing together improves our singers’ lives and our community! The evening was filled with song, a live and silent auction, delicious food, an engaging program with a powerful event video (see above),…
On Saturday, October 29, VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) had the opportunity to perform an inspiring evening of music at Reconcile: Singing Hope Into the World. VESOTA was joined by the Prince of Peace Celebration Choir, Minnesota Saints Chorale, A Cappella Choir from Westwood Lutheran Church, and special guest Joe Davis, who is an…
VocalEssence is in the midst of an extended strategic planning process. The following mission, vision, and values statements are the first outcomes of this work. We are thrilled to present the following statements with you and look forward to sharing more with you as our plans for the future of VocalEssence unfold. Mission VocalEssence draws…
VocalEssence is thrilled to announce that our VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) graduating seniors and mentor singers will receive scholarships to help them pursue their future dreams! In addition, VocalEssence will secure funding to continue to offer scholarships to future graduating members of VESOTA. Graduating VESOTA singers will be awarded funds for each year…
Philip Brunelle: The 54th VocalEssence season is in full swing and Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence Founder and Artistic Director, is delighted to be rehearsing the Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn music with the Ensemble Singers and the Chorus, preparing for the October 15 opening concert of the season, The Mendelssohns. On September 18 he was inducted into…
VocalEssence is thrilled to announce the addition of six new members to its Board of Directors. The VocalEssence Board of Directors serve as ambassadors for the organization in the larger community. They also guide VocalEssence in all major policy decisions while ensuring the financial stability of the 54-year-old nonprofit. “I’m delighted to welcome our new…
Philip Brunelle: The summer months have been fascinating for Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence Founder and Artistic Director–not only the time devoted to planning and studying repertoire for the upcoming 54th season, but also time in Europe and concerts at home. The end of June found Philip and his wife Carolyn in Stockholm visiting friends and meeting with…
The members of the Sabathani Vintage Voices had the honor of performing for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening for the Sabathani Senior Housing Apartments. Click the button below to read the article featured in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Read Article
Philip Brunelle: Summer has arrived and the level of activity at VocalEssence has not diminished for Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle! All the planning for season 54 continues and is very exciting! A 5 year project has been completed and Philip is very pleased to announce that the two volume set of Stephen Paulus…
The VocalEssence Singers Of This Age were invited to perform at the second annual Arc Toward Justice program at the last Westminster Town Hall Forum of the season on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The event featured Michele Norris and Yamiche Alcindor who discuss all that has happened in the two years since the murder of George Floyd. The… Read More →
Philip Brunelle: With the conclusion of VocalEssence 53rd season and the completion of auditions for season 54, Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle will be working on plans for the coming season as well as time to “attack” the filing of music and correspondence that awaits him! He is very pleased that this month his… Read More →
Philip Brunelle began Musical Moments as a way to connect and bring joy to people during the pandemic, but now the catalog of composers and their works will be shared broadly through the American Choral Directors Association’s Choral Journal. Click the link below to read the article OR explore the collection of Musical Moments. Read the Article Explore… Read More →
There are times where it is difficult to know how to respond to tragedy. On the evening of Ash Wednesday, composer John Rutter heard Valentin Silvestrov’s choral setting of the following text, “Good Lord, protect Ukraine. Give her strength, courage, faith, hope. Amen.” He decided to use his talents to compose his own setting of… Read More →
Our hearts are with the people of Ukraine. Please enjoy “Ščedryk”, a Ukrainian New Year’s carol by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovich, arranged by Philip Brunelle. This carol, traditionally sung on January 13, tells the story of a swallow flying into a house to sing of wealth that will come the following spring (you can hear the bird… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer György Orbán. György Orbán b. 1947 The Hungarian-Romanian composer György Orbán is best known for his vocal music employing avant-garde and neoclassic techniques. Born in 1947 in Marosvásárhely, he attended the Music Academy in Kolosvár… Read More →
