In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Robert Harris. Robert Harris b.1938 The African American composer and educator Robert A. Harris, is best-known for his choral settings of sacred and secular texts. Dr. Harris received his education from Wayne State University in… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Alvin Singleton. Alvin Singleton b.1940 Alvin Singleton is an African-American composer and educator known for his prolific compositions for orchestra, theatre, and chamber ensembles. Singleton was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended New York… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov 1844-1908 The Russian composer and educator Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a luminary of orchestral orchestrations. Born in Tikhvin into an aristocratic family, Rimsky-Korsakov showed musical ability from an early age but instead… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Leoš Janáček. This episode features Soprano Maria Jette. Leoš Janáček 1854-1928 Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, conductor, organist, folk song collector, and teacher known for his unique compositional style influenced by Moravian folk music.… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Gioachino Rossini. This episode features a duet with Soprano Maria Jette and Mezzo-Soprano Clara Osowski. Gioachino Rossini 1792-1868 No composer in the first half of the 19th century enjoyed the measure of prestige, wealth, popular… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer John Philip Sousa. This episode features Tenor Bradley Greenwald. John Philip Sousa 1854-1932 Composer of the official national march of the United States, The Stars and Stripes Forever!, John Philip Sousa, known as the “March… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Claude Debussy. Claude Debussy 1862-1918 French composer and pianist, Claude Debussy, known for his operas, symphonic music and his works for the piano, remains one of the most commonly-performed composers of the late nineteenth century.… Read More →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE CELEBRATES “28 DAYS OF BLACK EXCELLENCE” FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH Associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz will feature Black achievements in the arts and beyond during his 9 a.m. daily “Take 5 with GPS” performance series MINNEAPOLIS—January 27, 2021—VocalEssence, one of the world’s premier choral music organizations, will… Read More →
A pandemic didn’t stop these singers in their eighties at Trillium Woods from bringing a little joy to their lives. Together with the leadership of VocalEssence Vintage Voices artistic director Robert Graham and help from the brand new virtual choir recording platform SongAlong, these singers created a mini choir concert! After 10 weeks of Zoom… Read More →
We are getting SO CLOSE to meeting our 2020 goal of $248,680 to fully fund the VocalEssence mission. We are just $29,689.27 away, and have a 1:1 match up to $17,000 that was created by board and staff members who increased their gifts. Because of the pandemic, VocalEssence is in a different place financially than we’ve… Read More →
This Christmas Eve, gather the family (in person and virtually) for a LIVE sing-along and a broadcast of Welcome Christmas. CHRISTMAS EVE LIVE STREAM Thursday, December 24th at 6:30 PM CST Join Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III for a LIVE Christmas Eve edition of Take 5 with GPS. Usher in the magic by… Read More →
By Rob Hubbard | Star Tribune PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 7, 2020 — 11:42AM https://www.startribune.com/vocalessence-singers-make-a-welcome-return-in-video-holiday-concert/573318241/ REVIEW: VocalEssence returns in a video concert. PHOTO PROVIDED BY VOCALESSENCE Members of VocalEssence masked up to tape their streaming “Welcome Christmas” concert. Keeping gatherings small was recommended months ago by public health experts seeking to curb COVID. So what’s a… Read More →
By Rob Hubbard | Star Tribune PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 3, 2020 — 4:09PM Our guide to virtual holiday concerts for classical fans. HAVIN’ A BLAST EVENTS VocalEssence Welcome Christmas Yet one more loss to mourn this year is that of the holiday concert. Whether your December destination is Orchestra Hall, the Ordway or a local church, COVID-19… Read More →
As we close out the most challenging year in our 52 year history, we are hearing some shining stories of resilience and moments of joy. Liza and Jim Ervin are singers in the VocalEssence Vintage Voices choir at Trillium Woods. It was December 2015 when they moved to the Twin Cities from Connecticut. Fortunately, friends… Read More →
By ROSS RAIHALA | rraihala@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: November 29, 2020 at 5:28 a.m. | UPDATED: November 29, 2020 at 9:48 a.m. https://www.twincities.com/2020/11/29/holiday-arts-guide-from-blenders-to-brickman-music-traditions-continue-online/ Nearly all of this year’s holiday concerts are virtual, but many familiar faces both local (the Blenders, Lorie Line, the SPCO) and national (Jim Brickman, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) have planned online events… Read More →
