Choral Stream

Advent is a time of quiet contemplation and waiting. It's waiting for darkness to become light and for hopes to be realized. Throughout the centuries Advent has been observed musically in sacred and secular ways.

Fifteen years ago, Stephen Paulus wrote a one-act opera called "The Three Hermits". But since then, Paulus wanted to write a second, complimentary opera. That new opera is "The Shoemaker."

Directed by Samuel Kjellberg, the State Fair Singers, a young adult choir, performs Samuel Barber's Mary Hynes and Pseudo-Yoik by Finnish composer Jaako Mantyjarvi.

The State Fair Singers are performing a series of concerts at State Fair MPR Booth. Enjoy these pictures of a recent performance, and come hear them next time!

To honor their long time music director, John Ferguson, the alumni of the Cantorei Choir from St Olaf College gathered at their alma mater this past June for a choral service.

Saturday, July 14 marks what would have been Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday. Enjoy this video from Classical MPR's Harmony in the Park event featuring several Minnesota vocal ensembles performing Guthrie's best-known song, "This Land is Your Land."

June 7th was a beautiful evening for an outdoor choral concert... and here's the proof: One Voice Mixed Chorus, Minnesota Boychoir, and VocalEssence at Minnehaha Park in front of a crowd of 2,000.

Where can one find ten Minnesota choir and vocal ensembles, singing all Minnesota composers, in one concert? It probably only happens once every 118 years, and it's happening Wednesday at Orchestra Hall for the Opening Gala Concert of Chorus America. Tune in to Classical MPR at 8 p.m. on June 13 to hear the entire concert.

On Thursday, June 7, 2012, Minnesota Public Radio held its first Harmony in the Park, an annual, outdoor choral event. One Voice Mixed Chorus, the Minnesota Boychoir, and VocalEssence were all on hand. Enjoy these photos from the event.

As Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee celebrations kick off, former King's Singer Tony Holt has been reminiscing about being a boy soprano in the coronation day choir at Westminster Abbey, and how he started singing in the first place.