Never Stop Singing

Choral enthusiasts won't want to miss Never Stop Singing, a new public TV special airing on the dates below.

Minnesota is renowned for its outstanding choral music, but what inspires this intense love of singing? Notes musicians Dominick Argento, Anton Armstrong, Philip Brunelle, David Cherwien, Rene Clausen, Peter Hendrickson, Maria Jette, Stephen Paulus, Robert Robinson, Kathy Saltzman Romey, Dale Warland and others share their passion for the choral art, along with performance excerpts featuring serveral Minnesota choirs. For more information visit: http://www.neverstopsinging.org

July 5 at 7:30pm
July 6 at 1:30am
July 6 at 7:30am
July 6 at 1:30am

Orchestra Hall lobby performance 4/25/09

Recap of the Concert Choir tour on Friday April 24, 2009

The Angelica Concert Choir began their In Town Tour at Augsburg College, where they sang for the morning chapel service. They sang a "prelude" to which the Augsburg faculty and students responded with great applause! The Riverside Singers, Nancy Grundahl's freshman women's choir, then joined Concert Choir for a special song that both choirs know by heart, Not One Sparrow is Forgotten, written in honor of Nancy's Grundahl's stillborn grandson. After chapel was over, about 30 people stayed to listen to more selections by our choir, again to enthusiastic applause. They didn't want us to leave!

But leave, we did, because we were due at St. Olaf Catholic Church to lead the noon mass which was attended by at least 200 people. Lynn Trapp, the director of music at that beautiful downtown church, was very impressed with our young people.

Then, after a two hour break, Green Mill Pizza and yummy cookies, we headed to St. Thomas University where we attended (at VERY close range) the rehearsal of their two college choirs who are preparing for a trip to Greece in a month. They were FABULOUS and we loved their music. They are conducted by Dr. Angela Broeker, who conducted our Angelica Varsity Choir for two years. She is a great supporter of Angelica. Our singers were very impressed with how hard the college singers worked for two hours, their focus, posture and enthusiasm. And THEN, we got to sing for them in that beautiful space with GORGEOUS acoustics. Again, the college kids whooped and hollered!!!! Our singers loved it. After the college kids were excused, we continued to sing some special songs for Angie, who gave us lovely and supportive feedback. She said things like, "Is there anything these singers can't do?" and "what I love to see is the looks on individuals faces as they interpret the music." "These kids put the college kids to shame." THAT was absolutely NOT true, as we were mightily impressed with the college choir. They sounded WONDERFUL!

Then, off to Grand Slam for food, fun and games, perfect end to a wonderful day. Tonight we sing in the lobby of Orchestra Hall, and tomorrow we have a collaborative concert with two other children's choirs at Cantabile Director Ann Shrooten's church. We are looking forward to both.

It is so much fun to sing all of our repertoire! We are enjoying the fruits of our labors!

From: Nancy Grundahl 4/25/09

Endowment Deadline is approaching

Long after the toys of childhood are gone, the gift of music remains

April 1, 2009
Deadline for DOUBLING your contribution to the Angelica Cantanti Endowment Scholarship Fund

Angelica has been given a matching challenge gift of up to $50,000 to help establish a Scholarship Endowment Fund

With Angelica donations of $50,000 we would have an endowment of $100,000

We have $17,000 in Angelica Contributions to date.

*Only a few days remain before our matching grant expires. Your gift, in any amount, will be DOUBLED, under the conditions of this challenge gift and will bring us closer to our $50,000 goal. *Give in memory of a special person in your life or in honor of your singer or someone who has helped you or your family. *Please send your contribution, BEFORE APRIL 1, to Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington, MN 55431.

Thank you.

Rita Docter

Pictures from Children's Choral Festival

Angelica's Concert Choir participated in a Children's Choral Festival at Central Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 28. They had the opportunity to hear other local youth choirs and under the direction of Kathy Romey, gather to perform a mass rendition of J. David Moore's "Joyful Noises."

Snow Days 2009 Weekend Retreat

Angelica's connection to Hollywood!

Congratulations to Pete Docter, son of Con Brio Director Rita Docter on being nominated for his 4th Oscar! Watch for Pete's newest Pixar film called "Up" coming to a theater near you this May.

Click here for a preview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOzqIL_HSBk

Angelica's connection to the Inauguration!

The San Francisco Boys and Girls Chorus sang America, the Beautiful arranged by Angelica's Concert Choir Director Nancy Grundahl at the Inauguration on January 20, 2009.

"And then a voice boomed over them, “Ladies and Gentleman … the boys and girls stood and the first words of “America the Beautiful” rolled out across the two mile expanse before them, the mall. And the words reverberated back to them, echoing and rolling off of the buildings of the Smithsonian Museums, and up and the buildings of Pennsylvania Avenue to the right and Constitution Avenue to the left, two canyons of white buildings. And before them the towering, simple Washington Monument, flanked far in the distance by the Low, Rectangular Lincoln Memorial. And when they finished, thousands, perhaps a million voices cheered."

Click here to listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99619575

Follow Mrs. Schrooten on tour in England

Ann Schrooten, Director of the Cantabile Choir, is on a week long tour in England with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and Artistic Director Philip Brunelle. Their performances include six public concerts in Oxford, Birmingham, London, Cambridge and Ely, an engagement in one of the world's most famous churches, King's College Chapel in Cambridge, as well as an in studio collaboration with the BBC Singers in honor of choral conductor Stephen Cleobury. Click here to follow the tour: http://vocalessence.blogspot.com

Away in a Manger with CANTUS

Horses, hay and holiday cheer! The Angelica Cantanti Singers joined Cantus at the Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul for an evening of sing-a-long caroling, hot chocolate, apple cider and horse-drawn hay rides along the Mississippi river!

Angelica sings at the Govenor's Mansion

Cantanti Singers at the 2008 Target Holidazzle Parade