Press Releases

Once viewed as potential ‘super spreaders,’ Minnesota choirs are emerging again

Rob Hubbard Special to the Star Tribune | March 18, 2021—10:49AM https://www.startribune.com/once-viewed-as-potential-super-spreaders-minnesota-choirs-are-emerging-again/600035749/?om_rid=1590517193&om_mid=2499842505 One more welcome sign of spring:  Minnesota choirs are emerging from hibernation. Dwight Jilek conducted members of Magnum Chorum for their livestream this month. Photo by Flight Creative Media For a state dubbed “The Land of 10,000 Choirs,” the pandemic has been particularly…  Read More →

VOCALESSENCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS HOME STATE WITH “CALL OF THE NORTH” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   CONTACT:  Jennifer Weismann  612-716-0556  Jennifer@owl-marketing.com   VOCALESSENCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS HOME STATE WITH “CALL OF THE NORTH”  Minnesota choral ensemble presents an evening (or afternoon or morning – you choose!)  of uniquely Minnesotan music and poetry   MINNEAPOLIS — February 5, 2021 — VocalEssence has spent much of its half century celebrating sounds and voices from all corners of the globe. Now the celebrated vocal ensemble is taking its…  Read More →

VOCALESSENCE CELEBRATES “28 DAYS OF BLACK EXCELLENCE” FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE CELEBRATES “28 DAYS OF BLACK EXCELLENCE” FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH Associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz will feature Black achievements in the arts and beyond during his 9 a.m. daily “Take 5 with GPS” performance series MINNEAPOLIS—January 27, 2021—VocalEssence, one of the world’s premier choral music organizations, will…  Read More →

‘Some Kind of Heaven’ is one kind of retirement; ‘Bolerobolero, the Film’ to premiere

By Pamela Espeland | MINNPOST PUBLISHED: January 20, 2021 ‘Some Kind of Heaven’ is one kind of retirement; ‘Bolerobolero, the Film’ to premiere ALSO: VocalEssence’s “Believe” streaming now; Dominic Taylor’s “Cell Surface”; and more. A scene from “Some Kind of Heaven.” Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures   Many people first heard of The Villages, the largest retirement community in…  Read More →

Ways to celebrate MLK Day in the Twin Cities Ways to celebrate MLK Day in the Twin Cities

By BECCA MOST | bmost@pioneerpress.com | St. Paul Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: January 14, 2021 at 9:12 p.m. | UPDATED: January 14, 2021 at 10:45 p.m. https://www.twincities.com/2021/01/14/ways-to-celebrate-mlk-day-in-the-twin-cities/ Although the pandemic has prevented many from celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in person this year, many events will still take place virtually. Saturday, Jan. 16 The VocalEssence…  Read More →

VOCALESSENCE SINGERS OF THIS AGE PRESENT AN MLK-INSPIRED CONCERT THAT WILL MAKE AUDIENCES “BELIEVE”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Weismann 612-716-0556 Jennifer@owl-marketing.com VOCALESSENCE SINGERS OF THIS AGE PRESENT AN MLK-INSPIRED CONCERT THAT WILL MAKE AUDIENCES “BELIEVE”  Celebrated Minneapolis-based choral ensemble’s youth choir will present second part of a four-part performance series to inspire change in the world MINNEAPOLIS—January 13, 2021—The VocalEssence ensemble made up of a diverse collection of high school students, Singers Of This Age (VESOTA), will…  Read More →

VocalEssence pushes forward with annual Christmas concert

By Cathy Wurzer | MPR News Published: December 16, 2020 7:03 a.m. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/16/vocalessence-pushes-forward-with-annual-christmas-concert Artistic director Philip Brunelle leads VocalEssence in one of its previous holiday performances. Courtesy of Bruce Silcox   Like so many holiday traditions, VocalEssence’s annual “Welcome Christmas” concert looks a little different this year. Still, the choral ensemble hopes the music brings…  Read More →

VocalEssence singers make a ‘Welcome’ return in video holiday concert

By Rob Hubbard | Star Tribune PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 7, 2020 — 11:42AM https://www.startribune.com/vocalessence-singers-make-a-welcome-return-in-video-holiday-concert/573318241/ REVIEW: VocalEssence returns in a video concert. PHOTO PROVIDED BY VOCALESSENCE Members of VocalEssence masked up to tape their streaming “Welcome Christmas” concert.   Keeping gatherings small was recommended months ago by public health experts seeking to curb COVID. So what’s a…  Read More →

A PANDEMIC DIDN’T STOP THIS CHOIR FROM SINGING

By Amy Melin | Twin Cities PBS https://www.tptoriginals.org/a-pandemic-didnt-stop-this-choir-from-singing/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post-mno&utm_campaign=&utm_term=&utm_content=pandemic-choir&fbclid=IwAR2LJLX2MpMIUFD5wdvl5ZE14vBdo3yLwlQ1kiBk-HRTvUhaCOWkHNlSljA When COVID-19 first showed up in the U.S., G. Phillip Shoultz III, like many Americans, had no idea what was ahead. “All of us naively thought this is just going to be a few weeks and we’ll get back to our lives,” he reflects. But the director of…  Read More →

Composers Datebook: “Welcome Christmas” Carol Contest

By John Birge | Your Classical Published: Sunday, December 6 “Welcome Christmas” Carol Contest Synopsis On today’s date in 1998, two brand-new Christmas carols debuted in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the “Welcome Christmas” choral concert of VocalEssence conducted by Philip Brunelle. The two carols, “Sweet Noel” by Joan Griffith and “The Virgin’s Cradle Hymn” by Richard…  Read More →

Christmas concerts coming up; Louise Erdrich at One Book, One Minnesota

By Pamela Espeland | MINNPOST PUBLISHED: December 4, 2020 Christmas concerts coming up; Louise Erdrich at One Book, One Minnesota Dr. Anton Armstrong conducting the Massed Choirs and St. Olaf Orchestra during the 2019 Christmas Festival. Courtesy of St. Olaf College And suddenly it’s December. Hard to believe almost nine months have passed since the first…  Read More →

Holiday Arts Guide: From Blenders to Brickman, music traditions continue online

By ROSS RAIHALA | rraihala@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: November 29, 2020 at 5:28 a.m. | UPDATED: November 29, 2020 at 9:48 a.m. https://www.twincities.com/2020/11/29/holiday-arts-guide-from-blenders-to-brickman-music-traditions-continue-online/ Nearly all of this year’s holiday concerts are virtual, but many familiar faces both local (the Blenders, Lorie Line, the SPCO) and national (Jim Brickman, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) have planned online events…  Read More →

G. Phillip Shoultz, III Featured on Steele Talkin’ with Jearlyn Steele on WCCO

https://www.radio.com/wccoradio/podcasts/jearlyn-steele-152/10-18-20-steele-talkin-center-stage-348180021 Steele Talkin’-Center Stage October 18, 2020 39 min Download On this week’s edition: Singer/musician Mary Bue Singer/musician Anderson Daniels Blues musician Annie Mack VocalEssence associate coordinator G. Phillip Shoultz, III

G. Phillip Shoultz III of VocalEssence: ‘Stopping has never been an option for me’

By Pamela Espeland | columnist MinnPost Published: OCTOBER 16, 2020 https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2020/10/g-phillip-shoultz-iii-of-vocalessence-stopping-has-never-been-an-option-for-me/ Shoultz leads the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers (32 professional singers), the VocalEssence Chorus (115-120 volunteer singers) and the youth choir VocalEssence Singers of This Age, aka VESOTA. Photo by Kyndell Harkness G. Phillip Shoultz III at the start of the pandemic: “So the first step was triage. Let’s…  Read More →