BRIDGES 2008: African Voices Saturday, May 10, 2008 St. Olaf Catholic Church Minneapolis African Voices, the Minnesota Chorale's 2007-08 Bridges program, brought together a consortium of more than 250 Twin Cities singers to explore the rich and vibrant heritage of African choral music. Members of the consortium included the Minnesota Chorale and its newly formed Minneapolis Youth Chorus (Patrice Arasim, director), St. Olaf Catholic Church's African International Choir (Othello Collins, director), St. Peter Claver Cameroon Choir (Julie Fondungallah, director), and the choirs of St. Olaf Catholic Church (Dr. Lynn Trapp, director) and Central Lutheran Church (Mark Sedio, director). The two latter choirs were participants in the American Composers Forum's 2007-08 Faith Partners program, under which composer Victor Zupanc created a new work, connecting the choral traditions of the Africa and the United States. The combined choirs, under the direction of Kathy Saltzman Romey, premiered Zupanc's work at the May 10th performance. MPR features Sing Me a Home story SING ME A HOME: the concert Saturday, May 19, 2007 St. Olaf Catholic Church, Minneapolis Sing Me a Home, the Chorale's Bridges outreach program for 2007, was a landmark collaboration with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (TCHFH), using music to explore the idea of “home” and to deepen awareness of issues relating to affordable housing and poverty. Four high school choirs joined the Chorale, led by Kathy Saltzman Romey, in songs drawn from the many cultures represented by TCHFH homeowners (African American, Caribbean, East African, Southeast Asian, and others). Newly commissioned choral settings, based on TCHFH families' stories with texts written by area high school students, were complemented by projected photographs. Together, the music, words, and images made vivid the vital work in which Habitat is engaged and embodied the Chorale's belief in song as a force for social good. Click here for music from Sing Me a Home Click here for writer bios and texts the composers Bill Banfield Abbie Betinis Jerry Rubino David Evan Thomas Janika Vandervelde the music Abbie Betinis Journey Home David Evan Thomas Here We Can Dream Janika Vandervelde Sing Me a Home The information below was current as of May, 2007. the writers Heid E. Erdrich served as mentor to the student writers who created the texts for the compositions that were premiered during the 2007 Bridges concert. She also wrote the text for Janika Vandervelde's composition, which concluded the concert. Ms. Erdrich's poetry collections are National Monuments, forthcoming from Michigan State University Press, The Mother’s Tongue from Salt Publishing, and Fishing for Myth from New Rivers Press. She also co-edited Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community from Minnesota Historical Society Press. Her awards include a Minnesota State Arts Board fellowship and Mentor of the Year, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers. A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibway, she was raised in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Her degrees are from Dartmouth College and The Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars. Heid has taught writing for 20 years including five years leading the annual Turtle Mountain Writers Workshop on her home reservation in North Dakota. She recently became curator of Ancient Traders Native Art Gallery in Minneapolis. Click here for the text of "Call It Home" Anne Goetz: "I am a senior at St. Paul Central High School, where I play violin with the orchestra and am the captain of the Nordic ski team. I have had several of my poems published in Verbal Promiscuity, the school literary magazine, and am currently its editor-in-chief. I will attend Harvard College in the fall." Click here for the text of "Here We Can Dream" Erik Halvorson: "I am currently a senior at Como Park High School in St. Paul. I am captain of the school swim team, participate in theater productions, help run the Como Park National Honor Society chapter, and, in my spare time, volunteer at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. I enjoys camping, hiking, and generally being outdoors. I have never before done a project like this; I have loved the experience and wants to thank everyone who made it possible." Click here for the text of "Journey Home" Amelia Hanson: "I am a junior at South High School, Minneapolis, where I spend much of my time working in the theater program. I have directed, assisted, written, and acted in many plays. I enjoy writing a great deal, and though my forte is playwriting I was delighted to participate in this project. Other work I will be showcasing soon is South's production of Proof by David Auburn, which I am assistant directing, and, in this year's Fringe Festival, a show titled Fresh Snow, written and directed by myself." Click here for Amelia Hanson's text Joua Lee: "I am a senior at Patrick Henry High School, Minneapolis, where I am involved in organizations such as the Asian Cultural Club, Drama Club, and the National Honor Society. I like to write poetry, perform spoken word, and play soccer. In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends." Click here for Joua Lee's text Andrew Thomas: "I am currently a junior at Patrick Henry High School, Minneapolis. I rap, but I do not necessarily call myself a rapper. I have recently released my first rap/poetry album, entitled "Life music: Volume ONE," under the artist name Phonetic ONE. I have lived all my life in South Minneapolis. I have seen the ups and downs of this city, from the nicest houses in Uptown to crack-infested apartments. Living in these diverse conditions has allowed what and how I write to be very diverse." Click here for the text of "Joy Always Joy"

During two presentations for schools and two evening performances on May 12 and 13, 2006, attendees wove their way through the atmospheric Mill City Museum and enjoyed labor songs, commercial jingles, barbershop quartets, and folk tunes evoking Minneapolis' industrial heyday. The evening was crowned by a full-choir presentation in the haunting Rail Corridor, conducted by Kathy Saltzman Romey and enhanced by award-winning multimedia artist Tony Brown.

For ten years Minnesota Chorale's award-winning  Bridges program has harnessed the power of choral music to connect minds and hearts across the Twin Cities!

The Chorale and conductor Kathy Saltzman Romey presented a 10th-anniversary vocal extravaganza reuniting past Bridges guest artists: Venezuelan conductor Cristian Grases, Robert Morris, Jevetta Steele, Fred Steele, Angelica Cantanti, Leigh Morris Chorale, and hundreds of community voices. This program was presented on February 25, 2005 at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis.

MUSICAL CHI: EAST-WEST CONVERGENCES

A week full of residency activities at local schools and public concerts completed our 2004 Bridges program in mid-May, 2004.

Two public performances were given at The Marsh on Friday and Saturday, May 14 and 15, 2004, each followed by an opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Chungliang over Asian tea and dessert. Two back-to-back family performances were also held at MIA as part of Ford Free Sundays on Sunday, May 16, 2004.

In a program that featured selections that ranged from Bach to East Asian folk songs, the programs disclosed surprising connections between Western classical music and traditional Eastern disciplines of the body and mind. In the engaging style that has made him a world-famous teacher, Chungliang Al Huang related music to movement and images and explored parallels between musical and bodily flow. Gao Hong revealed the depths of her instrument with pieces ancient and modern. Also featured were Beijing Cai Hong (Colorful Rainbow of Beijing), a narrated choral work by Twin Cities composer Janika Vandervelde that combines Eastern and Western musical idioms.

Bridges '02-03
Adventures of the Black Dot: The Island of Music
Friday, March 14, 2003

"Children and adults alike were wide-eyed..." Pioneer Press
"An ingenious tale for kids..." Star Tribune
"Deserves to be heard again, and often." Pioneer Press

The Minnesota Chorale presented Adventures of the Black Dot, its staged choral storybook for the young in both a matinee for student groups and an evening performance for families on March 14, 2003. Newly revised and extended, the work was zestfully performed by most of the singers and instrumentalists who had participated in the 2001 premiere; they were joined by a new children's chorus, Angelica Contanti, and a new accordionist, Los Angeles-based James Nightingale. The piece was restaged by director Kari Margolis, and the accompanying video animation was expanded and updated by multimedia artist Tony Brown. Writer Judy McGuire and composer Janika Vandervelde collaborated with conductor Kathy Saltzman Romey on a new prelude to the piece that efficiently introduced its story, dramatic personae, and musical themes. The performances coincided with the release of a children's book version of the Black Dot story, illustrated by Oregon artist Joanna Priestley and self-published by writer Judy McGuire. Black Dot was professionally recorded on March 16 and 17 in Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis; editing is currently in progress. Prior to the March performances, the Chorale's new, 12-page curriculum guide to Black Dot, prepared by curriculum specialist Joanna Cortright of the Minnesota Center for Arts Education, was distributed without charge to all schools taking part in the performances.

This event marked the Minnesota Chorale's first international Bridges™ program, featuring five visiting musicians from Venezuela's renowned Schola Cantorum de Caracas, including 2002 Grammy nominated conductor, Maria Guinand. The festive concert embraced sacred and secular Latin American music performed by the large and small choirs of the Chorale, a youth chorus from the FAIR School (Crystal, MN), and Twin Cities musicians Leo and Kathy Lara. Other musicians from Venezuela were Cristian Grases, conductor; Freddy Miranda, percussion; Luimar Arismendi, cuatro/guitar; and Maria Leticia Gonzalez, piano. During their week-long Minnesota visit, the Venezuelan musicians participated in a series of outreach activities, reaching over 2,200 students at assemblies in area elementary schools, and workshops with local high school and college choirs.

Bridges '00-01
Adventures of the Black Dot; The Island of Music
May 18, 2001
Ted Mann Concert Hall, Minneapolis, MN

The Adventures of the Black Dot was the first venture of its type for the Minnesota Chorale―a unique, interdisciplinary partnership between writer Judy McGuire, composer-in-residence Janika Vandervelde, stage director Kari Margolis, actor Carolyn Goelzer, four instrumentalists, the Minnesota Chorale, and the St. John's Boys' Choir. It also marked a new direction in music education programming. In the genre of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf or Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Black Dot focused on providing insight into rhythmic notation using a chorus as the primary vehicle. It also allowed children an opportunity to consider a larger world of possibilities and to imagine themselves within that world through the character of Dot.

Bridges '99-00
Music & Meditations: A Peace Concert for the Millennium
November 4, 1999
Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota

In anticipation of the millennium and to reunite past bridging partners, the Minnesota Chorale presented this evening of sacred music from the Russian, Jewish, African American, and European American traditions with spoken meditations by Twin Cities and international community leaders. The evening was divided into five segments highlighting five cultural and/or social themes: Russian, Jewish, African-American, Christian, and youth. Each segment reflected on one of five levels of peace-making, beginning with peace within the individual, peace in our families, peace in our cities, peace in our nations, and finally global peacemaking. Distinguished meditation speakers included 1976 Nobel Peace Price laureate Betty Williams and Archbishop Harry J. Flynn. Special musical guest appearances were made by youth choir Angelica Cantanti, the Sam Davis Memorial Singers, Sanford Moore, and cantors Barry Abelson from Temple Israel and Greg Denysenko from St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral.

Bridges '97-98 and '98-99
"Lift Every Voice" and "God's Trombones"
Partnership with African-American community and inner-city churches
November 1, 1997 & November 6, 1998
First Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN

18-month collaboration among Minnesota Chorale, Leigh Morris Chorale, African-American community leaders, and four urban church choirs ~ purpose to examine issues which separate and fragment the African-American community from the greater community using music as the tool ~ Lift Every Voice community hymn sing-along was first public event during partnership ~ culminating concert was God's Trombones, featuring the legendary, Grammy award-winning William Warfield in the Preacher role.

Bridges '97-98
The Many Faces of Women
March 29, 1998
O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, St. Paul, MN

A concert celebration of women artists and composers in honor of Women's History Month ~ collaboration with high school treble choirs, women's social service agencies, and women artists, including artwork by Laurel Burch ~ premiered commissioned work by Twin Cities-based composer Janika Vandervelde, entitled Beijing Cai Hong ("Colorful Rainbow of Beijing"), featuring internationally acclaimed Chinese pipa virtuoso Gao Hong ~ women's social service agencies and visual artists displayed their mission and work in the concert hall lobby ~ concert co-presented with College of St. Catherine's Women of Substance series.

Bridges '96-97
Winona Choral Festival and Concert
October 25 and 26, 1996
St. Mary's University and Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, MN

Rural outreach to community with limited access to professional level music performance ~ collaboration among choruses from Winona's two universities, The Winona Oratorio Chorus, and four rural high schools from surrounding areas ~ involved two days of education and performance culminating in a community-wide celebratory choral concert on the last evening.

Bridges '95-96
Service of Remembrance and Peace
November 10, 1995
Temple Israel, Minneapolis, MN

Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II and the hope of reconciliation among all peoples ~ collaboration between the Minnesota Chorale and Temple Israel in the context of a Jewish Shabbat service ~ featured E. Bloch's Sacred Service and L. Bernstein's Chichester Psalms ~ program book contained reflections on war, and prayers for peace written by community members and leaders ~ school presentations on the Jewish/Christian music theme were presented to approximately 1,000 junior and senior high school students prior to the Service date. Los Angeles-based Nick Strumple, a leading lecturer-scholar of Czech and concentration camp music, spoke at various Twin Cities locations.

Bridges '94-95
A Russian Night
November 5, 1994
Church of St. Luke, St. Paul, MN

Bridging with local Russian community in Twin Cities area ~ featured: Russian piano duo Julia and Irina Elkina and Chorale perform Rachmaninoff Vespers ~ reception followed featuring a village marketplace setting with authentic Russian cuisine, art and merchandise displays by local artists, and music by Russian trio.

Earth Day Family Concert
April 22, 1995
Ted Mann Concert Hall, Minneapolis, MN

Bridging with youth of the Twin Cities community in a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Earth Day ~ young choirs sang alongside Minnesota Chorale with youth symphony accompanying ~ featured Libby Larsen's Missa Gaia (Mass for the Earth) ~ Libby Larsen served as concert host ~ pre-concert presentation by professional storyteller ~ broadcast live on public radio ~ pine seedlings were distributed to youth in attendance ~ school presentations on Earth Day theme were made to approximately 3,000 inner-city elementary school students prior to the concert.

International Bridges:
North meets South

In 1999-2000, the Chorale began an international extension of the Bridges series, connecting Minnesota and Venezuela through cultural exchange between North and South American colleagues, choirs and orchestras. This builds on relationships developed during the Chorale's trip to Venezuela as on of two U.S. choirs invited to the prestigious America Cantat III international choral festival in April, 2000.

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