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2021-2022 Digital Concert Season

Inspiration on your schedule Join VocalEssence for our 2021-2022 Season as we explore the ways music moves us. From partnerships with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Bach Society of Minnesota, and The Aeolians of Oakwood University to thrilling premieres of works by Stewart Copeland of British hitmakers The Police and rising star Gabriel Kahane, this season gives…

Choosing Love Digital Concert

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Live Dancing and Singing—Sublime!

Watch as Philip Brunelle and Lise Houlton, Artistic Director of Minnesota Dance Theatre, discuss the partnership between Minnesota Dance Theatre and VocalEssence. Philip asks what it is like to dance to live singing, to which Lise responds, “Sublime.” Lise and Philip talk about how the dancers create a physical representation of Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,”…  Read More

10 Twin Cities classical music concerts to add to your calendar for fall 2021

By Rob Hubbard Special to the Star Tribune | August 27, 2021 https://www.startribune.com/top-10-classical-music-concerts-for-fall-2021/600097792/ ‘Opera Afuera’ Minnesota Opera originally planned to open its season at the St. Paul Saints’ ballpark, but moved its presentation of Latin American vocal music and operatic excerpts to Minnesota United’s soccer pitch. Fort Worth Symphony leader Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts. Scarves optional.…  Read More

Celebrate the Season with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at the Basilica

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   CONTACTS:   Jennifer Weismann   612-716-0556   Jennifer@owl-marketing.com     Randi Ericksen  612-440-6219  randi@bachsocietymn.org CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH BACH’S CHRISTMAS ORATORIO AT THE BASILICA  VocalEssence and The Bach Society of Minnesota team up to perform holiday masterwork—December 3  MINNEAPOLIS—September 17, 2021—The VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and the Bach Society of Minnesota (BSM) will collaborate on a concert performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in a stunning setting, at…  Read More

2021 Fall Arts: Classical music has opera outdoors, a Chopin champ and Vanska’s final season

By SHEILA REGAN Special to the Pioneer Press | September 9, 2021 https://www.twincities.com/2021/09/09/2021-fall-arts-classical-music-has-opera-outdoors-a-chopin-champ-and-vanskas-final-season/  Get your vaccine card and your mask ready as we head to the fall performing arts season. Most of the main performing venues— including concerts at Orchestra Hall and the Ordway require vaccinations and/or a negative test, as well as require visitors to wear…  Read More

Where in the World are the Conductors-August 2021

Philip Brunelle: August has been a busy month of planning for Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle. He has been working on finalizing repertoire for the season, ordering orchestral music, confirming concert dates and details, and (of course) continuing to do fundraising! This month also included attending a Board member’s wedding, finishing the edits for…  Read More

Leland Sateren | Musical Moments with Philip Brunelle

In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Leland Sateren. Leland Sateren 1913-2007 Leland Sateren was a renowned Minnesotan composer and conductor who served as chairman of the Augsburg College Department of Music from 1950 to 1973 and as director of the Augsburg…  Read More

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Welcome Christmas 2021

Revel in the mystery of the season through the depth of a mother’s love Three Performances Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 4 PM Plymouth Congregational Church 1919 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 7:30 PM Plymouth Congregational Church 1919 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 4 PM Roseville Lutheran…

Spanish Transcription of interview with Carolina (Marañon) Gustafson

Gustavo: Bienvenidos a este número 2 de la serie VocalEssence y Amigos. Esta oportunidad tan grata que tenemos de presentarles a esta organización musical coral de las ciudades gemelas que está extendiendo esta invitación a todas nuestras familias hispanas. Platicamos hace unos días con Novelli Jurado, un músico compositor y gran amigo también de VocalEssence.…

English Transcription of Interview with Carolina (Marañon) Gustafson

Gustavo: Welcome to episode number 2 of the VocalEssence and Friends series. It is with great honor that VocalEssence and me introduce you to the great choral musical organization of the Twin Cities called VocalEssence. VE is extending this invitation to all our LatinX families here in the Twin Cities. We spoke a few days…

Where in the World are the Conductors-June 2021

Philip Brunelle: Artistic Director and Founder Philip Brunelle is working on creating a digital library of all the composers featured on Musical Moments with the help of intern Blake Wieseler from St. Olaf College. Since Musical Moments began in March of 2020, almost 300 composers who have been central to the success of VocalEssence have…  Read More