by Jill | Cherry and Spoon Friday, March 22, 2019 Leonard Bernstein is one of the best 20th Century American composers (not to mention pianist and conductor, as I learned last year). His Candide is stunningly beautiful, but based on Voltaire’s 18th Century satirical novel, it’s a bit… weird. Twin Cities vocal ensemble VocalEssence and music-theater company Theater Latte Da have combined to… Read More →
by Basil Considine | Twin Cities Arts Reader March 18, 2019: https://twincitiesarts.com/2019/03/18/interview-soprano-liv-redpath-on-singing-in-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds/ Opera is seemingly everywhere in the Twin Cities in March, with productions and concerts by the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Opera, Skylark Opera Theatre, and more. Into this tangled period leaps the choral music ensemble VocalEssence, which has chosen “The Best of All Possible… Read More →
Thank you to the 69 people who took the Frozen Movie Sing-Along Survey. This is our first family movie event, and we appreciate you taking the time to give us feedback. The VocalEssence staff analyzes the results and uses the information to plan for better performances in the future. Below is a summary of the results. 43%… Read More →
By Pamela Espeland MinnPost FEBRUARY 28, 2019 — 08:24AM https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/02/vocalessence-to-present-witness-times-two-joffrey-ballet-to-perform-anna-karenina/ VocalEssence was born in 1969 as the Plymouth Church Music Series. Just another concert series at a local church, founded by an ambitious, tireless and hypercreative choir director and organist named Philip Brunelle. In 2002, the Plymouth Music Series became VocalEssence. Today, Brunelle and his singers are… Read More →
Both Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle and Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III will be attending the national convention of ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) in Kansas City the last days of February. It is an important time for them to connect with colleagues and also to attend the premiere of Dr. André Thomas’… Read More →
Three Performances Saturday, December 14, 2019 Crafts: 9-9:30 AM, Concert: 9:30-10:15 AM Crafts: 11-11:30 AM, Concert: 11:30 AM-12:15 PM Crafts: 1-1:30 PM, Concert: 1:30-2:15 PM Reception Hall, Minneapolis Institute of Art 2400 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404 Deck the hall with VocalEssence at this hands-on holiday event. Clap, wiggle, and sing along to your favorite holiday classics, and try… Read More →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann Jennifer@owl-marketing.com 612-716-0556 PERFORMANCES ANNOUNCED FOR VOCALESSENCE 2019-2020 SEASON Choral and community-building organization celebrates 30 years of VocalEssence WITNESS, honoring the contributions of African Americans to the arts MINNEAPOLIS — February 25, 2020—Heading into its second half-century stronger than ever, VocalEssence is ready to reveal the program for its… Read More →
by Ross Raihala | Pioneer Press February 21, 2019 at 1:00 pm https://www.twincities.com/2019/02/21/vocalessences-witness-concert-honors-ilhan-omar-hallie-q-brown-other-trailblazers/ Back in 2017, VocalEssence associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz III was starting to plan the group’s annual Witness concert and was thinking about influential women who changed everything. “I was struck by what is going on in our society with the rise and… Read More →
This spring, the VocalEssence Board and Staff are excited to embark on a multi-year journey into Intercultural Organizational Development to assist in furthering our Inclusion, Access, and Equity commitment. After interviewing multiple consultants, the VocalEssence Executive Committee of the Board has approved working with Beth Zemsky. Beth comes to VocalEssence after decades of experience in… Read More →
By Deb Mazzacco Pioneer Press January 18, 2019—5:24 pm https://www.twincities.com/2019/01/18/martin-luther-king-jr-day-events-2019/ Here’s a roundup of Minneapolis and St. Paul events Saturday, Sunday and Monday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. SATURDAY, JAN. 19-MONDAY, JAN. 21 St. Paul: MLK Weekend at the Minnesota History Center. Family art activities, service projects, performances, closing of “The 1968 Exhibit,” noon to 3 p.m.… Read More →
A musical visionary and tireless self-promoter, VocalEssence founder Philip Brunelle is a world-renowned force.
As a direct response to the Listening Zone Initiative recommendation to partner in new ways with specific cultural communities, we are working with local partners to encourage Spanish speaking families to attend our Family Series events this season. We have hired Gustavo Mancilla of MLatino Media to assist with strategy and translation services to get… Read More →
By Pamela Espeland January 17, 2019: https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/01/mlk-celebrations-and-concerts-mr-poppers-penguins-at-childrens-theatre/ Monday is Martin Luther King Day, and the weekend will light up with celebrations of his life. Tuesday this week would have been his 89th birthday. Imagine if he had lived past 39. Although it’s not billed specifically as an MLK event, VocalEssence’s annual “Together We Sing” festival on Saturday (Jan.… Read More →
Our VocalEssence WITNESS School Program workshops are in full swing, with all eight VocalEssence Teaching Artists busy conducting workshops with more than 4,300 students from 32 elementary, middle and high schools, through the lens of their artistic medium, around the subject of trailblazing African American and African women in our community. Recently, at Alice Smith… Read More →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com YOU’RE NEVER TOO YOUNG TO SING! ACCLAIMED LOCAL AUTHOR NANCY CARLSON AND VOCALESSENCE HOST TALES & TUNES MUSICAL STORYTIME Nursery rhyme sing-alongs, lullabies, and crafts—March 30 MINNEAPOLIS — January 17, 2019— Local choral and community-building nonprofit VocalEssence has assembled a morning of programming perfect for its… Read More →
