Artistic Council & Education Outreach Reports
Communications – Paul Scholtz
Artist Activities Week by Week
Programming – Chris Foss
The second round of editing for the eOne album project is finished, and we are about to send materials off to Rebecca Davis so she can mark it the album for sale to other labels. We expect to deliver this by the end of the week.
“You” by Libby Larsen was recently featured on our show for the Celebrity Series in Boston, one of the commissioning partners of the piece. The performance was generally well-received, and the head of the series was backstage immediately after the show to share his very positive reaction.
Submissions for our composers contest have begun to come in. We'll examine them after the due date, and the ensemble will choose the winners for inclusion in our 25th season celebration (exact show TBD).
Cantus has a special opportunity for a collaboration with the Minnesota Bach Society. Their desire is for a full show, possibly in the spring/summer of 2021, also with the possibility of applying for a touring grant through MSAB. The project would be the eight singers of Cantus and eight members of their ensemble on period instruments. The repertoire would be from any time from the Renaissance to today.
The singers are working on their arrangements for covers currently. We should get them back in the beginning of May for rehearsal starting then as well.
Cantus will soon be pitching ideas for the 2021 season. Over the next several months, singers will research programs, make presentations to the group, and receive additional input. Ultimately the entire staff will vote and choose the season with an ultimate goal of delivery of sales materials to AAM by July 31st.
The TTBB arrangement for the Dichterliebe cycle (Unrequited) has arrived (from Japan!). The rest of the show will be programmed over the next few weeks.
Production – David Geist
This last month has been another busy one! We spent the beginning of March on the road for almost two weeks before returning home and opening When I Grow Up. The audience reception to WIGU was amazing. People always love our shows but it seemed like people connected in a different way to WIGU. I heard from many people it was one of their favorite shows we have ever done and that they really felt like they knew us more after leaving the concert. We all loved performing this concert and I was particularly sad when the show run ended.
April has lots of travel as we finish the majority of our touring show performances. Between April 1st and May 2nd we will have been on the road for 22 days! We were just in Vancouver participating in the Van Man festival run by Cantus Alum Erick Lichte, and later this month we’ll be in Seattle for a collaboration with Seattle University, finally finishing with the Virginia Arts Festival.
We have also started our work at the women’s prison with Voices of Hope. We had our first visit last Sunday and it was truly amazing to interact with these woman and start singing together. I already know this project will be a special one.
Education Outreach – Samuel Green
High School Residency
After a successful Festival Day and our final school visit, HSR 18-19 is almost done! Cantus Idol and our Final Concert remain, May 6 and May 13, respectively. The teachers are bringing a small group of students from each school to give a preview performance at ARIA during Idol prior to the Fund-A-Need. The following week, all choirs and Cantus join together for our Final Concert at Westminster Hall at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Please join us if you’re available!
2019-2020 At the end of March, I sent an exploratory informational email to all of our former HSR participants to gauge their interest in our 25th Anniversary Celebration. So far, I’ve received 12 affirmative responses! I’m sending a follow up email this month to those who haven’t responded, and will begin the scheduling process in May.
Minnesota Boychoir Residency
We visited the Minnesota Boychoir during the past week for our final masterclass. Once again, this choir’s work ethic, attention, and musicality was phenomenal. Our joint concert will take place on Monday June 17 at Concordia University in St. Paul. We eagerly await the news from Minnesota Arts Board to see if we can continue work with them during the 19-20 season.
National Outreach
Highlights from the past few months include a Young Composer’s workshop in Garden City, New York, small ensemble coaching at the Longy School of Music in Boston, High School and Middle School masterclasses in Texas, and Collegiate workshops in Birmingham, Alabama. Last week, in Vancouver BC, we provided outreach for over 200 Tenor, Baritone, and Bass singers at the VanMan Choral Summit. Next week, we look forward to a residency at Seattle University, school concerts during the Virginia Arts Festival, and outreach performances at a Hospital in Idaho.
Spread the word that Cantus offers a variety of educational outreach opportunities locally and around the country each year. If you know educators/organizations interested in working with us, refer them to education@cantussings.org, or contact Sam at sgreen@cantussings.org.
Artist Activities Week by Week
- February 24 - Alone Together Tour (Lake Jackson, TX; Dallas, TX)
- March 3 - AT Tour (Clemson, SC; Birmingham, AL)
- March 10 - When I Grow Up Home (MacPhail, Minneapolis; Trinity, Stillwater)
- March 17 - WIGU Home (Westminster, Minneapolis; Colonial, Edina; Ordway, St. Paul)
- March 24 - WIGU Home (Wayzata Community Church)
- March 31 - AT Tour (Garden City, NY; Boston, MA; Clinton, NY)
- April 7 - High School Residency School Visits; Minnesota Boychoir Masterclass; AT Tour (Vancouver, BC)
Programming – Chris Foss
The second round of editing for the eOne album project is finished, and we are about to send materials off to Rebecca Davis so she can mark it the album for sale to other labels. We expect to deliver this by the end of the week.
“You” by Libby Larsen was recently featured on our show for the Celebrity Series in Boston, one of the commissioning partners of the piece. The performance was generally well-received, and the head of the series was backstage immediately after the show to share his very positive reaction.
Submissions for our composers contest have begun to come in. We'll examine them after the due date, and the ensemble will choose the winners for inclusion in our 25th season celebration (exact show TBD).
Cantus has a special opportunity for a collaboration with the Minnesota Bach Society. Their desire is for a full show, possibly in the spring/summer of 2021, also with the possibility of applying for a touring grant through MSAB. The project would be the eight singers of Cantus and eight members of their ensemble on period instruments. The repertoire would be from any time from the Renaissance to today.
The singers are working on their arrangements for covers currently. We should get them back in the beginning of May for rehearsal starting then as well.
Cantus will soon be pitching ideas for the 2021 season. Over the next several months, singers will research programs, make presentations to the group, and receive additional input. Ultimately the entire staff will vote and choose the season with an ultimate goal of delivery of sales materials to AAM by July 31st.
The TTBB arrangement for the Dichterliebe cycle (Unrequited) has arrived (from Japan!). The rest of the show will be programmed over the next few weeks.
Production – David Geist
This last month has been another busy one! We spent the beginning of March on the road for almost two weeks before returning home and opening When I Grow Up. The audience reception to WIGU was amazing. People always love our shows but it seemed like people connected in a different way to WIGU. I heard from many people it was one of their favorite shows we have ever done and that they really felt like they knew us more after leaving the concert. We all loved performing this concert and I was particularly sad when the show run ended.
April has lots of travel as we finish the majority of our touring show performances. Between April 1st and May 2nd we will have been on the road for 22 days! We were just in Vancouver participating in the Van Man festival run by Cantus Alum Erick Lichte, and later this month we’ll be in Seattle for a collaboration with Seattle University, finally finishing with the Virginia Arts Festival.
We have also started our work at the women’s prison with Voices of Hope. We had our first visit last Sunday and it was truly amazing to interact with these woman and start singing together. I already know this project will be a special one.
Education Outreach – Samuel Green
High School Residency
After a successful Festival Day and our final school visit, HSR 18-19 is almost done! Cantus Idol and our Final Concert remain, May 6 and May 13, respectively. The teachers are bringing a small group of students from each school to give a preview performance at ARIA during Idol prior to the Fund-A-Need. The following week, all choirs and Cantus join together for our Final Concert at Westminster Hall at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Please join us if you’re available!
2019-2020 At the end of March, I sent an exploratory informational email to all of our former HSR participants to gauge their interest in our 25th Anniversary Celebration. So far, I’ve received 12 affirmative responses! I’m sending a follow up email this month to those who haven’t responded, and will begin the scheduling process in May.
Minnesota Boychoir Residency
We visited the Minnesota Boychoir during the past week for our final masterclass. Once again, this choir’s work ethic, attention, and musicality was phenomenal. Our joint concert will take place on Monday June 17 at Concordia University in St. Paul. We eagerly await the news from Minnesota Arts Board to see if we can continue work with them during the 19-20 season.
National Outreach
Highlights from the past few months include a Young Composer’s workshop in Garden City, New York, small ensemble coaching at the Longy School of Music in Boston, High School and Middle School masterclasses in Texas, and Collegiate workshops in Birmingham, Alabama. Last week, in Vancouver BC, we provided outreach for over 200 Tenor, Baritone, and Bass singers at the VanMan Choral Summit. Next week, we look forward to a residency at Seattle University, school concerts during the Virginia Arts Festival, and outreach performances at a Hospital in Idaho.
Spread the word that Cantus offers a variety of educational outreach opportunities locally and around the country each year. If you know educators/organizations interested in working with us, refer them to education@cantussings.org, or contact Sam at sgreen@cantussings.org.