OUR
PROGRAMMING
Since 1972, the Minnesota Chorale's education and community engagement programs have aspired to harness the power of the singing voice to promote individual growth and a stronger community. These programs serve differing populations and meet a variety of needs, but they have a common bond – ​they are central to the Chorale's mission and a proud part of our history and identity.
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
The programs of the Minnesota Chorale harness the power of the human voice to "educate, unite, enrich, and inspire," by...
-
connecting neighbors and communities;
-
enriching young people's educational experiences;
-
encouraging high school tenors and basses;
-
inviting listeners into the process of preparing great choral works for performance.
Founded in 1972, the Minnesota Chorale is Principal Chorus of the Minnesota Orchestra and ranks among the foremost professional choruses in the United States. Led by Kathy Saltzman Romey since 1995, the Chorale is best known for its work with the Twin Cities' two major orchestras, but is equally dedicated to fostering and deepening relationships through its award-winning Bridges community engagement initiatives, educational activities, and independent presentations of choral works. A seasoned artistic partner, the Chorale continues to explore new artistic directions and collaborative opportunities, while earning the highest critical acclaim for its work on the concert stage. Check out the Symphonic Chorus roster.
The Chorale's Bridges series, begun in 1994 to build musical and social bridges to diverse populations, has been acclaimed as a national model for community engagement programs. Bridges is a series of musical initiatives that harness the richness and diversity of the global choral repertoire to engage cultural communities and raise awareness of pressing social needs.
Come sing with us! Founded in 2002, InChoir welcomes the community inside the Chorale’s rehearsal process as we prepare symphonic choral masterworks for performances with the Minnesota Orchestra. More than just a rehearsal, this is an illuminating musical experience led by Kathy Saltzman Romey, which is open to any and all lovers of the choral art.
Launched by the Minnesota Chorale in 2007, the Minneapolis Youth Chorus is open to Minneapolis public and charter school students in grades 6 through 8. MYC seeks to enrich the lives of participants by providing them with opportunities to develop their musical gifts in an environment dedicated to the celebration of diversity and the pursuit of artistic excellence. The program is offered at no charge to participants: all costs are borne by the Minnesota Chorale.
Prelude Children's Choir, a choir for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders new to the MYC program, was established in 2012. It is designed as an introductory choral experience for younger singers.
Members of the Minnesota Chorale regularly perform in small ensembles throughout the community. These special projects and performances include naturalization ceremonies, holiday gatherings, and sporting events. Email us at info@mnchorale.org to partner in a community performance with your event or organization.
The Chorale's Side By Side program supports high school tenors and basses in their choral singing experience. In collaboration with high school choirs from the greater Twin Cities metro area, the Chorale brings together tenor and bass vocalists to prepare selected repertoire, which they rehearse and perform side-by-side with partnering schools. ​
Voices of Experience offers an opportunity for mature singers to achieve vocal excellence, to share their art with others, and to enrich the community through song.
Offered in partnership with the MacPhail Center for Music, Voices of Experience is an artistically ambitious chorus of Twin Cities seniors, ages 55 and older. Jerry Rubino, acclaimed conductor, pianist and arranger, leads the ensemble.
Voices of Experience made its formal debut at two concerts in November, 2010, including a side-by-side performance with the Minnesota Chorale and the Minneapolis Youth Chorus, as the centerpiece of the Chorale’s 2010 Bridges community-engagement project, Sing On!
Emerging Conductor engages graduate conducting students and civic conductors in the study of symphonic-choral repertoire with the Minnesota Chorale. Conductors are invited to take the podium and rehearse the Chorale on a selected work to be performed during the concert season. Artistic Director Kathy Saltzman Romey provides coaching prior to the event and feedback to each participant during and after the rehearsal. The program provides rising conductors with the experience of working with a large symphonic choir on masterworks presented by the Minnesota Orchestra. Participating conductors may also have the opportunity to observe a dress rehearsal of the work with the Minnesota Orchestra and Chorale, meet with the orchestra conductor for a Q and A session, and/or attend a performance.
The MacPhail Chamber Choir collaboration invites MacPhail students in the study of diverse choral repertoire alongside singers and section leaders from the Minnesota Chorale as led by teacher/conductor Jerry Rubino.
The internship program invites Minneapolis College students interested in choral arts to learn alongside the artistic staff and singers of the Minnesota Chorale in the study of selected symphonic-choral masterworks.