[Got the Saint Louis Blues: Classical Music in the Jazz Age; VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and Chorus with orchestra; Jearlyn Steele, soprano; Michael Forest, tenor; Paul Shaw, piano; Philip Brunelle, Conductor; Clarion CLR907CD (2004)]
VocalEssence is a remarkable choral and instrumental music program in Minnesota which was known as the Plymouth Music Series when it was founded in 1969 by Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director. VocalEssence.org notes: “The Series immediately established the marks of its future success: world, United States, and Midwest premieres; famous guest artists; commissions of new works (over 115 to date); and a reputation for surprise.” The VocalEssence Chorus is comprised of 120 singers; the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers number 32. Soloists and instrumentalists complement the two choruses.
In February, AfriClassical published a post on “WITNESS: The Duke Ellington Effect”, held Feb. 17, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The concert announcement online said “Duke Ellington’s adventurous spirit opened the way for the next generation of African American composers...”. We received an E-mail reply from Philip Brunelle: “Thanks. We had a marvelous WITNESS set of concerts this year with lots of new pieces by a younger group of African Americans including Rollo Dilworth, Stephen Newby, and Gary Nash.”
The printed program for “WITNESS: The Duke Ellington Effect” included this portrait of the Artistic Director of VocalEssence: “Philip Brunelle, artistic director and founder of VocalEssence, is an internationally renowned conductor, choral scholar and performer. Believing that listeners and musicians alike must experience music of many genres and styles, he has worked enthusiastically – and tirelessly – to expand audiences for rarely heard works of the past and worthwhile new music. His conducting engagements have taken him across the United States, South America and Europe. Recently he has conducted the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra and at the Berkshire Choral Festival. He conducted at the Oregon Bach Festival in July 2007 and will return this summer.”
Rollo Dilworth
Stephen Newby
Gary Nash
Younger African American Composers
WITNESS Duke Ellington Effect
VocalEssence Ensemble
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