Called "one of the irreplaceable music ensembles of our time" by former National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia, Minneapolis-based choral ensemble VocalEssence has been honored an unprecedented five times with the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for adventurous programming of contemporary music. The organization's unwavering commitment to today's composers has resulted in more than 130 premieres to date.

Under the direction of Founder and Artistic Director Philip Brunelle, the 100-voice VocalEssence Chorus and 32-voice Ensemble Singers (known for their appearances on the internationally-distributed radio show A Prairie Home Companion) present an annual series of performances featuring guest soloists and instrumentalists.