These are hard times to be a human being on this planet. At a time when everything around us feels disconnected and divisive, how do we hold on?
Melanie DeMore believes the power of music can bring us together. How to Hold On features original songs of comfort and solace by DeMore, who brings these songs to life with the help of the Minneapolis-based choral ensemble VocalEssence. Listen as Julie Amacher talks with DeMore about these songs and the heartfelt, real-life stories that inspired them.
Playlist
Music by Melanie DeMore, performed by the composer and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers.
“How to Hold On”
“Shine On Me”
“Bright Blue Sky”
“Standing Stone”
“As Much As Air”
“In the Cool”
“Blessed Be”
“Somebody’s Baby/Rock-a-Bye”
“Sending You Light”
“Turning Into Gold”
“If I Were Bird”
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In 2025, DeMore and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, including Artistic Director Philip Brunelle, joined us at YourClassical’s headquarters in St. Paul, Minn., to record three of the pieces featured on this radio special. Enjoy the group’s performances of DeMore’s ‘Blessed Be’ and ‘If I Were Bird,’ as well as a touching rendition of the traditional spiritual ‘There Is a Balm in Gilead.’
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment‘s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
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