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 →
“Life after 50” could be a challenge for some, but not for VocalEssence! We are moving from one anniversary to the next. This season marks 30 years since we began our VocalEssence WITNESS program honoring the contributions of African Americans to the arts. We are celebrating with two WITNESS-themed performances this season—What a Mighty God… Read More →
DEAR SANTA, HAVE YOU HAD THE MEASLES? Frank Kells, Al Arland, & Al Vann For a number of years the Ensemble Singers appeared with Philip Brunelle on Minnesota Public Radio each December with a program of humorous Christmas music that no one hears—this being one of the ‘gems.’ (SWEET ANGIE) THE CHRISTMAS TREE ANGEL M.K.… Read More →
VocalEssence is thrilled to announce that it has been tapped to kick off the Super Bowl Live festivities in Minneapolis. This January, in a kick-off event leading up to Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium, the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers will perform a 20 minute set on Nicollet Mall before Idina Menzel, Tony Award-Winner and… Read More →
It is concert week for the VocalEssence Vintage Voices programs at Parkshore Senior Community in St. Louis Park and Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley. Both choirs have been working hard with conductor Rob Graham and accompanist John Jensen. The Vintage Voices program from VocalEssence brings the many benefits—physical, psychological, and social—of choral participation to older… 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 →
Annually VocalEssence partners with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) to offer in depth workshops about our concerts for older adults. OLLI at the University of Minnesota is a vital community of older adults who are brought together by their intellectual curiosity and love of learning. An affiliated program of the university’s College of Continuing Education,… Read More →
Saturday, May 2, 2015 was a beautiful day to be on the Mississippi River aboard the Minnesota Centennial Showboat, enjoying cocktails and appetizers on the Victorian Deck, followed by river songs and tales with Don Shelby as Mark Twain, fiddler Sara Pajunen, and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers conducted by Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. Visit our Facebook album… Read More →
As if you didn’t already have enough great reasons to join us for the Gather at the River with Mark Twain fundraiser for VocalEssence music education programs on May 2, here are five more: The fabulous raffle prizes described below offer the winners another evening of top-tier entertainment—and four seasons of wine! So make plans… Read More →
Don Shelby as Mark Twain invites you to Gather at the River with Mark Twain, a fundraiser for VocalEssence choral music education programs. Hear river songs and tales on the historic Minnesota Centennial Showboat with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and the fine fiddling of Sara Pajunen. Hop aboard on May 2, 2015 for a celebration… Read More →
CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE CELEBRATES BACH’S TWENTY-FIRST (OUT OF TWENTY) CHILD—P.D.Q. BACH! Minneapolis-based choral ensemble hosts birthday bash for composer and parodist Peter Schickele—Apr. 10 MINNEAPOLIS — February 12, 2015 — The 100-voice VocalEssence Chorus, 32-voice Ensemble Singers and the University of Minnesota’s Wind Ensemble will celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary composer,… Read More →
