For more than five decades, VocalEssence has provided opportunities for singers from the Twin Cities area to create incredible music together and build connections as part of the vibrant arts community in Minnesota.

VocalEssence is known for introducing audiences to music and artists who are not yet known, often welcoming guest artists, composers, and conductors who are emerging, have unknown works, or represent a variety of cultures. Welcoming all members of the greater community, VocalEssence embodies the motto: Together We Sing.

• The 2021-2022 Season, Music Moves Us, returned to the concert hall and featured six in-person concerts and a VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers tour to greater Minnesota presenting The Times They Are A-Changin’: The Words and Music of Bob Dylan. 6,652 people attended a VocalEssence concert in 2021-2022.

• VocalEssence partnered with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Bach Society of Minnesota, and the Aeolians of Oakwood University.

• Continuing a commitment to performing new works, the season boasted premieres by composers Stewart Copeland of The Police, rising star Gabriel Kahane, ¡Cantaré! composer Julio Morales, and Genesis Prize winner Kyle Pederson.

• All season concerts were recorded and digital highlight videos were made available for free on the VocalEssence website following each concert where they were viewed by 8,296 people.

• According to survey results, audiences left VocalEssence performances feeling “inspired,” “joyful,” and “hopeful.”

VocalEssence continues to center programming and organizational strategy around equity, using what it learned through its inclusion, access, and equity (IAE) work to make strides. The staff’s used the lens of equity to draft new performing ensemble biographies and rewrite and revise the organizational policies and procedures. In addition, staff recently rewrote its mission, vision, and values through an IAE lens and is using this work to delve into writing a new strategic plan. Read on to see our new our new mission, vision, and values statements.

VocalEssence Mission

VocalEssence draws upon the power of singing together to nurture community, inspire creativity, affirm the value of all persons, and expand the influence of choral music.

VocalEssence Vision

VocalEssence seeks to be forward-thinking—a singing community where all find belonging. Aspiring to inspire, we discover, celebrate, and build lasting experiences that transform hearts and minds. We strive to create connections that honor dimensions of difference and to serve as a catalyst for change among singers, audiences, choral organizations, and communities.

VocalEssence Core Values

• Curiosity & Discovery
• Artistry & Creativity
• Innovation & Inspiration
• Collaboration

As a professional choral organization, we live our values in order to:

• Bridge societal difference,
• Remain open to continuous learning,
• Celebrate singing as an essential human expression

The VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) is a community of Twin Cities teenagers engaged in expanding what it means to be a choir and, encouraging a wider circle of participation in the artform. Presenting music ranging from classical to hip-hop, they use creativity and collaboration to build an accepting community, equipped with the skills to lead social change in our society.

• VESOTA engaged 36 Twin Cities teenagers, including 3 alumni who were staying in the area to continue in the choir as mentors, encouraging a wider circle of participation in the artform.

• VESOTA performed at 4 concerts in the VocalEssence 2021-2022 Concert Series. They were also invited to sing the National Anthem at Target Field for the NHL Winter Classic where they performed for more than 38,000 people and a broadcast audience of more than 1.3 Million, a highlight for some of the students this year.

• VESOTA collaborated with local composer Kyle Pederson to create The Other Side. The world premiere of the piece was performed by VESOTA at Hope Lives Here in October 2021. Click the button below to see video of the performance.

The Other Side

“I loved being a part of VESOTA and will always be so grateful for the experience given to me.”
—VESOTA Singer

VocalEssence Vintage Voices is an exciting choral program that integrates the arts into the everyday lives of older adults. Guided by a desire to create a welcoming atmosphere and remove barriers for participation, these choirs sing to build community, combat loneliness and isolation, and improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

• VocalEssence Vintage Voices resumed in-person programming for 52 singers in two choirs from Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis and Trillium Woods in Plymouth, integrating the arts into the everyday lives of older adults.

• During the 2021-2022 season Vintage Voices members shared four concerts with 514 audience members.

• Vintage Voices singers overwhelmingly reported that participating in Vintage Voices had a positive impact on their mental and emotional health and offered them an opportunity to be part of a community of others who share their same interests.

“One thing I appreciate about this choir is that Rob incorporates so much music education into our weekly rehearsals. I have learned so much more about music through Vintage Voices than I ever did in school.”
—Vintage Voices choir member

VocalEssence WITNESS celebrates the contributions of African Americans to our shared American heritage through in school workshops with VocalEssence Teaching Artists for students grades 4-12, professional development and classroom resources for teachers, and VocalEssence WITNESS Young People’s Concerts featuring VocalEssence singers.

• The VocalEssence WITNESS Season Concert and Young People Concerts featured The Aeolians from Oakwood University, a historically Black college in Alabama.

• 3,435 students from 27 schools from the Twin Cities metro area participated in the VocalEssence WITNESS School Program where they worked with the talented VocalEssence Teaching Artists.

• VocalEssence awarded the Reatha Clark King Award for Excellence and Youth Motivation through the Cultural Arts to Traci V. Bransford, former VocalEssence Board Member and Co-Chair of the VocalEssence WITNESS Advisory Council.

• 100% of teachers shared that their students demonstrated awareness of African American contributions to the arts and 100% of Teaching Artists reported that based on their perceptions during the workshop experience, students demonstrated an increased sense of self-esteem through interaction with a positive role model.

“We have been partners with the VocalEssence WITNESS for over a decade, and each year, the experience is outstanding. This program invites children to open up their minds and hearts to celebrate the arts.”

—VocalEssence WITNESS School Program Partner Teacher