Watch as Philip Brunelle gives you a sneak peek into “We Are the Saints”, a new commission by Gabriel Kahane that will be featured on the VocalEssence 2021-2022 season opener, Hope Lives Here. The piece is in three movements, approximately ten minutes in length and will be sung by the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers. The first… Read More →
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 →
Current members of VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (including a few graduating seniors) spent a week together building community, learning, and creating. The Choosing Love Creators Camp kick-started the year and was focused on creative collaboration. The first portion of the week was comprised of 15 hours of workshops led by guest artists including: Joe… Read More →
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 →
VocalEssence was fortunate to have two fantastic interns this summer: Aaron Schondorf and Blake Wieseler. Each and every voice that contributes to, or participates in our mission is an essential part of our community. We are thrilled to share the projects these two have worked on during their time at VocalEssence. Aaron Schondorf, a Carleton… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Geoffrey Bush. Geoffrey Bush 1920-1998 Geoffrey Bush was a British composer, teacher, and music scholar who produced a wide range of compositions across different genres, including many songs and works for choirs. He began piano… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Giovanni da Palestrina. Giovanni da Palestrina 1525-1596 Giovanni da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition. Documents suggest that he first… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Jorge Córdoba. Jorge Córdoba b. 1953 Jorge Córdoba Valencia was born on December 15, 1953, in Mexico City. As a young adult he had very diverse experiences in music. He informally studied popular music including… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Robert Sund. Robert Sund b. 1942 Robert Sund is a distinguished Swedish composer and conductor. He was for many years artistic director and conductor of the mixed choir Allmanna Sången and the male choir Orphei… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Leo Sowerby. Leo Sowerby 1895-1968 Leo Sowerby was an American composer and church musician often called the “Dean of American church music” in the early to mid 20th century. He studied composition with Arthur Olaf… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer David McKinley Williams. David McKinley Williams 1887-1978 David McKinley Williams was an American organist and composer known for his work at St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City. Gowing up in Denver, he was a chorister… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Pierre Villette. Pierre Villette 1926-1998 Pierre Villette was a French composer of choral and instrumental music. Born into a musical family he studied with Maurice Duruflé before attending the Paris Conservatoire. In 1957, Villette was… Read More →
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 →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Edmund Rubbra. This Musical Moment features Soprano, Maria Jette, as Philip’s guest. Edmund Rubbra 1901-1986 Edmund Rubbra was a prolific British composer of instrumental and choral music. He was born to a poor, though musical,… Read More →
In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Vincent Persichetti. Vincent Persichetti 1915-1987 Vincent Persichetti was an American composer, teacher, and pianist known for his integration of various new ideas in musical composition into his own work and teaching as well as for… Read More →
