Mission Statement
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.
Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
VocalEssence returned to the concert hall to explore ways that music moves us, reaching more than 6,600 people. The Concert Series included 8 performances and a three-stop tour in Greater Minnesota to nurture self-expression, bridge cultures, and combat loneliness. Free recorded highlights of each concert were shared on the VocalEssence website to more than 8,000 people worldwide.
VocalEssence Learning & Engagement Programs also returned to fully in-person programming with safety protocols in place.
VocalEssence WITNESS engaged 3,435 students from 27 schools in 2021-22. 100% of teachers shared that their students demonstrated awareness of African American contributions to the arts and 100% of Teaching Artists reported that students seemed to demonstrate an increased sense of self-esteem through the workshops.
VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) created opportunities to build community through singing together for 39 students age 15-19. 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 in front of more than 38,000 people and a broadcast audience of more than 1.3 Million.
VocalEssence Vintage Voices engaged 52 singers in two choirs from Sabathani Community Center Senior Center in Minneapolis and Trillium Woods in Plymouth who performed 4 concerts in 2021-2022. Participants 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.
Current Goals
VocalEssence will use singing together and innovative performances as a catalyst to nurture self-expression, bridge cultures, and combat loneliness. VocalEssence has provided opportunities for singers from the Twin Cities to create incredible music together and build connections as part of the vibrant arts community in Minnesota. Performances will include six public concerts and also community events and touring. Performing ensembles include more than 230 members of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, Volunteer Chorus, VocalEssence Singers Of This Age (VESOTA) teenage choir, and VocalEssence Vintage Voices older adult choir. VocalEssence Learning & Engagement Programs provide opportunities for people of all ages to connect, create, and learn across cultures. VocalEssence WITNESS provides programming for students to learn about African American music and culture; Singing from the Heart provides opportunities for pregnant and parenting students to sing together and connect with their children and culture; and Vintage Voices integrates arts into the daily lives of older adults.
Community or Constituency Served
Older adults, School-age youth, adults
Geographic Area Served
Twin Cities metro area with periodic regional, national, and international touring.
