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MINNEAPOLIS—JANUARY 16, 2026—For more than three decades, choral arts organization VocalEssence has marked Black History month with a variety of programming under the umbrella of VocalEssence WITNESS, and in 2026, the celebration of Black contributions to American arts will culminate in the concert Northrop and VocalEssence present WITNESS: Symphony of Spirituals at Northrop on February 22.   

VocalEssence WITNESS: Symphony of Spirituals will feature the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, elder singers from the VocalEssence Vintage Voices, diverse teenage choir VocalEssence Singers of This Age, and a symphony orchestra, with featured soprano Chloe Johnson; and Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz, III, conducting. 

“For all the educational work we do in schools and in the community with WITNESS, the program is really about inspiration,” says G. Phillip Shoultz, III, associate artistic director, VocalEssence. “It’s inspiring to believe we can change the world for the better, and the music at this concert will stoke the fires of love, of determination, of hope. Enslaved Americans created the Negro spiritual to lift up their humanity under the worst imaginable circumstances, and the hope in these songs reaches past the centuries to inspire us. Closer to our own era, the music of the Civil Rights movement has the same effect. It’s been a long fight to remake the world into one where we are all free and equal, and this concert celebrates the incredible art that has come out of that battle and gives us the heart to carry it on.”  

“This program reminds us how powerfully the arts can meet the moment—sharing history, resilience and hope through song and story, and inviting us to listen deeply to the past, to one another and to the work still ahead, says Kari Schloner, executive director of Northrop. “Through our partnership with VocalEssence, Northrop is proud to support the WITNESS concert and school program, ensuring people of all ages encounter these vital messages when they matter most.” 

“We are thrilled to present two new settings here for classic spirituals composed by B.E. Boykin, a young composer whose work was found on two Grammy-nominated vocal albums this year. VocalEssence commissioned this new music from Boykin and the WITNESS concert will be its world premiere,” adds Shoultz. “I had no idea when I first reached out to B.E. this concert would be so timely and necessary, given what’s going on in our community right now.”  

“At VocalEssence, we believe in keeping choral relevant because to us, joining our voices feels exciting, alive, and powerful,” says Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence founder. “Black composers and singers have created some of America’s most unforgettable and affecting choral works, like the Civil Rights era-anthems you’ll hear in Damien Geter’s The Justice Symphony.”    

Press images are available here.    

VocalEssence WITNESS: Symphony of Spirituals will be performed at 4 p.m. at Northrop, University of Minnesota, 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis. Tickets are available from the Northrop Box Office online or by phone at 612-624-2345, Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

About Northrop
Situated at the heart of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus and a state historic landmark, Northrop has served as the University’s primary gathering place for the performing arts, world-renowned dance performances, concerts, academic ceremonies, and major civic events for nearly 100 years. From touring international and favorite local dance companies, musicians, and film screenings to the hottest comedy acts, renowned speakers, celebrated authors, and prestigious UMN lectures, Northrop offers opportunities for all ages to explore, learn, and engage. 

About VocalEssence
VocalEssence, the choral organization Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones says “sings magnificently,” provides opportunities that draw upon the power of singing together to nurture community, inspire creativity, affirm the value of all persons, and expand the impact of choral music. VocalEssence was founded in 1969 and through its performance series has debuted more than 300 commissions and world premieres. VocalEssence Learning & Engagement programs help people of all ages bridge, create, and learn across cultures by connecting them with renowned choral experts to provide exceptional role models, grow community self-esteem, self-expression, and engagement. For more information, visit www.vocalessence.org.         

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