Choral Stream Stories

Each December, the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, rings out with the sacred and the exuberant: the sounds of the Christmas season. Enjoy the 2022 program, ‘The Gifts They Gave Emmanuel.’

Undine Smith Moore knew the importance of music education from an early age. But despite her success, she still doubted her abilities and accomplishments as a composer, citing racism. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

You are invited to YourClassical MPR’s Bring the Sing, a community sing-along choral event in Duluth that brings people together through the joy of music. This free event is open to people of all vocal abilities and will take place Saturday at the College of St. Scholastica.

We recently offered a playlist of 10 great choral works, and listeners responded with their own choices. Here are some of their favorites.

As instruments, human voices are uniquely capable of combining to create sounds ranging from the soaring glory of Samuel Barber’s ‘Agnus Dei’ to the raw power of Verdi’s ‘Requiem,’ while expanding and interpreting the poetry of the piece being sung. Listen to these 10 great works and and experience that whole spectrum of sound!

YourClassical Minnesota Public Radio’s Bring the Sing returned to the Fargo-Moorhead area on Aug. 15, led by Fargo-Moorhead Choral Artists and director Michael Culloton. Check out a video of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and photos from this wonderful community sing-along!

I feel like I'm entering a war zone writing about this topic: being a soprano in a choir. There are so many preconceived notions about sopranos. Let's get those stereotypes out of the way now.

In lots of choral pieces, many people would have a hard time picking out the alto line. Yet if the altos were missing, the piece would feel wrong and empty. A singer with VocalEssence offers praise for that inner line.

Sociologists speak of class envy, students of grade envy and Freudians of penis envy. But in the choral world (and what is the choral world, after all, but a trembling microcosm of the very world itself?), it's tenor envy that seethes just beneath the surface.

Watch as the Minnesota-based ensemble 29:11 International Exchange, many of whose singers and instrumentalists hail from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, tap into their African roots to, as co-founder Brendon Adams says, “spread love and reconciliation through our music.” Enjoy the results of their recent recording session with YourClassical MPR.