By Pamela Espeland | MINNPOST Published: FEBRUARY 18, 2020 — 9:17AM ‘Twelfth Night’ at the Guthrie is pure joy; Russian Renaissance at Aria Photo by Dan Norman Emily Gunyou Halaas, Sun Mee Chomet and Michael Hanna in “Twelfth Night.” The Guthrie’s new production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night” is pure joy. Filled with live music, movement and color,… Read More →
by Tom Weber weber@postbulletin.com | PostBulletin Published: December 10, 2019, https://www.postbulletin.com/life/lifestyles/twin-cities-ensembles-offer-christmas-concerts-in-rochester/article_08f28392-16ab-11ea-ad07-978e1f6ac6f9.html The Rose Ensemble will perform a concert of early American music Saturday in Rochester. (Contributed photo) Two of Minnesota’s iconic music groups, the Rose Ensemble and VocalEssence, will perform back-to-back holiday concerts this weekend in Rochester. In the case of the Rose Ensemble, which… Read More →
Purchase your tickets to Divine Light on Sunday, October 13, 2019 by clicking here! A Silence Haunts Me In 2017, Jake Runestad travelled to Vienna and found himself in the Haus der Musik Museum in Vienna, where he encountered a facsimile of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament. It was the first time he had read… Read More →
The Oxford Times (UK) has declared that the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers “have a blend that could—and should—be the envy of every choir in the business.” Founded in 1991, the Ensemble Singers are acclaimed for their “superbly blended sound” (Birmingham Post, UK) and “exemplary technique” (Minneapolis Star Tribune). Lauded by the Times of London as “polished, bright and brilliantly balanced,” this… 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 →
VocalEssence founder and artistic director Philip Brunelle was featured on Steele Talkin’ with Jearlyn Steele March 3, 2019 to talk about Candide, The Times They Are A-Changin’, and the VocalEssence 2019-2020 Season. Check out the interview below.
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 →
A musical visionary and tireless self-promoter, VocalEssence founder Philip Brunelle is a world-renowned force.
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 →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com RAISE YOUR VOICE AND GIVE BACK AT ‘TOGETHER WE SING’ FESTIVAL Join VocalEssence MLK weekend to sing in the tradition of social movements throughout history—January 19 MINNEAPOLIS — Dec. 7, 2018—Arts and community-building nonprofit VocalEssence is joining forces with the Minnesota Historical Society to make the… Read More →
Dancer/Choreographer Roxane Wallace is active in the arts as a performer, dance instructor, and choreographer. Originally from California, she holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley. Constantly engaged in her field, she has worked with numerous choreographers and directors of both regional and international acclaim and earned the “Best Dancer” title in… Read More →
Arts Educator/Performer/Choreographer/Literary Artist Karla Nweje is an arts educator, choreographer, performer, and literary artist. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Brooklyn College/CUNY. As a literary artist, Karla is a published author and contributing writer to literary publications and writes/presents interactive workshops and assemblies for youth. After obtaining teaching credentials, she worked as a… Read More →
Vocalist/Composer/Percussionist Dr. Timothy Berry began singing in his father’s church at age 5 where his mother was the pianist and choir director. He has played hand drums since age 12. His eclectic performance background including: The Urban Flavor Band; Leigh Morris Chorale; Penumbra Theater; MN Opera; Contempo Dance Physical; Minnesota State University Repertory Dance Theater;… 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 →
