VocalEssence
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History
Founded in 1969 under the name Plymouth Music Series, the mission of VocalEssence is to explore the interaction of voices and instruments through innovative programming of music, past and present. As a performing arts organization, VocalEssence presents and produces concerts in the Twin Cities area featuring its 120-voice Chorus and 32-voice professional Ensemble Singers.
Plymouth Music Series was founded by Philip Brunelle as an arts outreach program of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. The Series immediately established the marks of its future success: world, United States, and Midwest premieres; famous guest artists; commissions of new works (well over 120 to date); and a reputation for surprise. In the very first season Aaron Copland came to conduct his choral works for the Plymouth Music Series — the first time he had ever been asked to conduct his choral music.
By 1979, the Plymouth Music Series was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation governed by its own independent board of directors and separated from Plymouth Congregational Church. In 1991, international recording successes convinced the board that the Series was ready for new artistic challenges. Over the next three years, the organization professionalized its performing ensemble, creating the Ensemble Singers, and hired its first full-time management staff.
In 2002 the Plymouth Music Series changed its name to VocalEssence, capturing the essence of its mission to explore music for the human voice, from spoken word to choral singing. The name VocalEssence serves as an umbrella over the organization's wide-ranging work in music education, recording, radio broadcasts, community engagement programs and music events.
In addition to championing lesser-known works of the past, VocalEssence has an unwavering commitment to today's composers. VocalEssence has received the ASCAP/ Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music an unprecedented five times. In 1996 it was awarded the once-in-an-organizational lifetime Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Choral Excellence.
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