By ROB HUBBARD | Special to the Pioneer Press March 28, 2020 at 1:37 p.m. Article: https://www.twincities.com/2020/03/28/coronavirus-classical-what-you-can-do-to-get-an-earful-of-orchestra-or-opera/ While you sometimes have to look long and hard to find positives amid the COVID-19…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Special to the Star Tribune Published: FEBRUARY 18, 2020 — 10:57AM http://www.startribune.com/for-30-years-vocalessence-s-witness-program-has-celebrated-black-music/567972202/ G. Phillip Shoultz III brings the Witness program to 40 schools each year. “Thirty…  Read More →

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…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Special to the Star Tribune Published: FEBRUARY 17, 2020 — 8:40AM http://www.startribune.com/vocalessence-explores-deep-roots-of-african-american-music-the-week-s-best-classical-concerts/567887142/ Bearing ‘Witness’ Thirty years ago, Philip Brunelle’s choir VocalEssence initiated a project called “Witness,”…  Read More →

Multiple authors | Star Tribune February 14, 2020 – 11:10 PM: http://www.startribune.com/best-of-the-week-feb-16-23-tove-lo-joe-henry-gotta-dance-raphael-saadiq-vocalessence-winter-fest-more/567872132/ Behold Lo Like a raunchier and rowdier version of her fellow Swedish export Robyn, electro-pop singer Tove Lo…  Read More →

Multiple authors | Star Tribune January 24, 2020 – 8:03 AM: http://m.startribune.com/best-of-the-week-jan-26-feb-2-walker-s-out-there-gza-noura-badi-assad-moana-sing-along-liszt-rex-orange-county-more/567260852/ Aussie theater company challenges perceptions about disabilities Walker Art Center’s monthlong “Out There” series concludes with the return…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Star Tribune Published: December 26, 2019 http://www.startribune.com/best-of-the-decade/566133041/?refresh=true#classical 10. “Candide” 2019-Philip Brunelle’s Vocal­Essence turned 50 with a joyful take on Bernstein’s operetta, brilliantly re-imagined as a 1930s…  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…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Star Tribune Published: December 20, 2019 — 8:20AM http://www.startribune.com/the-10-concerts-that-shone-brightest-in-2019-on-minnesota-s-classical-scene/566373282/ 1. “Candide,” VocalEssence, March 21: Leonard Bernstein’s Voltaire operetta is tough to stage, but Theater Latté Da’s Peter…  Read More →

By Pamela Espeland | MinnPost PUBLISHED: December 13, 2019 ww.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/12/all-is-calm-is-filmed-for-pbs-dog-act-at-gremlin-theatre/?fbclid=IwAR3d67FHcl0-DNebJRQ8ox8Jc32orIvL_NonUv7M8IDnM8Bi3snSwre2Vr0 Photo by Joseph Scheller Theater Latté Da spent part of this week with a film crew from New York Public Media…  Read More →

By ROB HUBBARD | Special to the Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: November 25, 2019 at 12:37 pm | UPDATED: November 25, 2019 at 6:37 pm https://www.twincities.com/2019/11/25/holiday-arts-guide-2019-classical-music-has-many-flavors-of-the-sounds-of-the-season/ Not one “Messiah,” but a few, including a bilingual version.…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Star Tribune Published: December 1, 2019 — 2:00PM http://www.startribune.com/a-hot-debut-and-a-bach-alternative-to-messiah-the-week-s-best-classical-concerts/565610352/ Alt-Bach Christmas inevitably means “Messiah,” and this week’s Minnesota Orchestra performances will please those who like an…  Read More →