By: Patty Dexter | SUN Thisweek Published: April 11, 2019 https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/community/apple_valley/vocalessence-music-program-comes-to-westview-elementary/article_6c0cac8c-5bd5-11e9-8b5b-477346985913.html Two local musicians visited Westview Elementary School in Apple Valley on April 4 as part of the school’s participation in VocalEssence’s Witness program. VocalEssence is a Minnesota arts organization that “uses the power of choral music to enhance our community by producing innovative vocal…  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 →

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 →

by Kathy Berdan October 4, 2018: https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/04/vocalessence-50th-anniversary-concert-ordway-st-paul-philip-brunelle-aaron-copland-cantare/ Harmony through harmony. That’s a good description of what Twin Cities choral stalwart VocalEssence has been doing for half a century. Founder and director Philip Brunelle and the group’s 30-member professional Ensemble Singers recently returned from a trip to Mexico City, where they performed with 30 Mexican singers and a…  Read More →

June 4, 2018 by Paige Elliott http://spokesman-recorder.com/2018/06/04/vocalessence-marks-milestone-season-with-new-voices-unique-collaborations/ Minneapolis-based choral organization VocalEssence has recently unveiled the musical offerings for its jubilee 50th season. Highlighting a diverse lineup of concerts and programming, the nonprofit’s 2018-2019 season promises outdoor summer sing-alongs, a new family series, and musical celebrations of inclusion, perseverance and identity. The season kicks off in August with…  Read More →

By Pamela Espeland | 08:32 am https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2018/05/vocalessence-plans-imaginative-50th-anniversary-season-23rd-annual-art-whirl-northe If you saw yesterday’s Artscape and Theater Latté Da’s season announcement, you already know part of VocalEssence’s big 50th-anniversary reveal: a collaboration with Latté Da. But that’s the tip of the iceberg (this is the North, after all) of a truly astonishing, wildly imaginative season. Before we get into that, a brief history: In 2015,…  Read More →

By ROSS RAIHALA | rraihala@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: May 17, 2018 at 2:31 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2018 at 3:50 pm https://www.twincities.com/2018/05/17/vocalessences-50th-season-features-movie-singalongs-bob-dylan-tribute-and-free-tickets-for-kids/ Two movie singalongs, a new work honoring Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan and a world premiere from young star composer Nico Muhly are on tap for VocalEssence’s newly announced 50th season. Season tickets are on sale now. For the…  Read More →

14 schools, 56 students, one groundbreaking choir. by Les Poling Posted February 13, 2018 “Together we sing.” That phrase, according to VocalEssence Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III, is more than VocalEssence’s official tagline. It’s a hands-on philosophy the entire group takes to heart, especially the new VocalEssence Youth Choir. Creating community has been VocalEssence’s mission since the…  Read More →