More than 50 students from 13 Twin Cities High Schools have attended the first three rehearsals of the inaugural year of the VocalEssence Youth Choir led by VocalEssence Associate Conductor and Education Program Manager G. Phillip Shoultz, III. Each rehearsal includes a mix of singing, social bonding activities, and work with the guest artists that… Read More →
VocalEssence is expanding upon the work we have done for nearly three decades in providing Minneapolis and St. Paul students access to choral music. We are creating a VocalEssence Youth Choir that revolutionizes our concept of choir and seeks to reflect the diversity of our community in its membership. Through this choir, we seek to… Read More →
VocalEssence Singers Of This Age is a dynamic group of 50 young people from Twin Cities high schools who sing, dance, write their own music, rap, and—most importantly—reflect the diversity of our community in its membership. Under the visionary leadership of G. Phillip Shoultz, III, the students sing a wide range of music—from classical to… Read More →
The 10th Anniversary VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! composers are here! Bernardo Feldman and Jimena Contreras have been working with schools all over the metro and falling in love with the Twin Cities in the process. Below are a few highlights from their visit. Jimena created a set of videos that gave the elementary students a tour… Read More →
A wonderful month ahead with lots of music-making! The first rehearsals have begun for the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers. Osmo Vänskä comes to rehearsal next week as the Ensemble Singers prepare for the Finland concerts with Osmo on clarinet and Sara Pajunen on fiddle. Don’t miss one of these September 24 concerts at the… Read More →
The Reatha Clark King Award for Excellence and Youth Motivation through the Cultural Arts was developed by VocalEssence in 2007 to celebrate and recognize outstanding leaders who are in the field empowering young people through direct contact, making a way for them to be as successful as they can be. It was named after the… Read More →
CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR EXTRAORDINARY 49TH YEAR Stellar artistic performances, unique educational programming, and enriching community engagement on track for Twin Cities choral organization’s 2017-2018 season MINNEAPOLIS—APRIL 24, 2017—Nationally renowned choral organization VocalEssence today announces its 49th season. The 2017-2018 season will give VocalEssence opportunities to further extend its reach… Read More →
In case you missed it, these were just a few high points from the 2017 VocalEssence WITNESS concert at Orchestra Hall: 1. Hearing songs from three local composers (Daniel Kantor’s “River Holy”, Emily Feld’s “The Gift to Sing”, and Jake Runestad’s “We Can Mend the Sky”). The concert served as the world premiere of Feld’s… Read More →
For the next three months, VocalEssence will feature its education programs to promote Music Makes Us Whole, an initiative that brings together non-profit and for-profit organizations in Minnesota to raise awareness about the ways a rich music education enhances a child’s development. This month, we’re highlighting VocalEssence WITNESS School Program and Lullaby Project. VocalEssence WITNESS… Read More →
VocalEssence WITNESS guest artist Melanie DeMore was featured on Steele Talkin’ with Jearlyn Steele January 1 to talk about her work on the Lullaby Project. Check out the interview below. Listen to the rest of the show here.
The Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium, that is. 6,567 students are slated to attend the VocalEssence WITNESS Young People’s Concerts this February (1,000 more students than last season!). But here’s the catch … The cost of the VocalEssence WITNESS program and Young People’s Concerts is $28.50 per student, but in order to make this program affordable… Read More →
VocalEssence WITNESS guest artist Melanie DeMore visited Minnesota the week of September 19-24, 2016 where she breathed life into the Underground Railroad theme for hundreds of students, teachers, and community members. Below is a list of all of Melanie’s activities that week: School Visits at Parkway Middle, North High School, Parkway Middle, Johnson Senior High School), where… Read More →
VocalEssence is thrilled to be the first choir nationally to offer the Lullaby Project, a national program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. The Lullaby Project creates musical experiences for women facing pregnancy while enduring other hardships, such as teenage pregnancy, homelessness, or incarceration. Lullabies are powerful tools for parents. According to research, the experience… Read More →
Longfellow Alternative High School in Minneapolis has been filled with song this March with visits by special musical guests from VocalEssence. ¡Cantaré! Composer Francisco Zúñiga Olmos, Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III, and members of the Ensemble Singers are working with six teenage moms to help them write a lullaby for their babies. This is… Read More →
CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE PAYS HOMAGE TO THE MALE CHORUS — WITH HELP FROM MOREHOUSE COLLEGE GLEE CLUB Renowned choral ensemble and historic all-male glee club join forces for VocalEssence WITNESS: Morehouse College Glee Club concert—Feb. 21 MINNEAPOLIS—December 17, 2015—What happens when the internationally-renowned Morehouse College Glee Club partners with nationally acclaimed choral ensemble… Read More →
