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Over many decades, Philip Brunelle, artistic director of the Minneapolis choral music organization VocalEssence, and acclaimed British composer John Rutter have been colleagues and friends  — with Brunelle’s choirs often performing the U.S. premieres of Rutter’s work. 

Decades ago, VocalEssence's artistic director Philip Brunelle recorded several of Rutter's pieces and sent them to him. “He wrote back and said, ‘You're the first American group to record any of my carols!’ And he was just thrilled.” 

Since then, Rutter has visited Minnesota multiple times to guest conduct and work with the different VocalEssence ensembles. 

The concert “An Afternoon with John Rutter” on Jan. 17 at the Cathedral of St. Paul will be similar to those past collaborations. The concert will feature compositions by Rutter, mainly from his Christmas collection. This selection is fitting, since Christmastide technically only ended on Jan. 5, and Epiphany lasts until Candlemas in early February.

“I always think it's a little sad if you bring Christmas to an end on the 26th of December,” John Rutter said, “Because it has an afterglow that extends into the new year.”

One of the pieces that will be featured in the concert is “What is this lovely Fragrance?" which is a personal favorite of Brunelle. 

“It's just a beautiful melody line … and his setting with harp and orchestra is so just very soothing,” Brunelle said. 

Premiere of an adapted Harlem Renaissance poem 

Along with the Christmas and Epiphany music, VocalEssence will also perform the U.S. premiere of Rutter’s “I’ll Make Me a World,” which sets Harlem Renaissance poet James Weldon Johnson’s “The Creation” to music. 

“[Johnson’s] heyday was, really, you might say, the Jazz Age,” Rutter said, explaining that he was inspired by the music of Johnson’s era when composing.

“I have been nourished and inspired both by Gershwin and by the tradition of blues and jazz and gospel music, they've nourished the music that I've written,” he said. 

Aside from “The Creation,” James Weldon Johnson is perhaps best known for his hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a call for freedom and liberty, which is known as the Black national anthem. 

Brunelle said that since the concert is taking place right before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the timing is ideal to premiere “I’ll Make Me a World.” 

“This James Weldon Johnson poem… it's his writing of the creation story,” Brunelle said. “Because it's going to be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday, it made sense for this weekend that we would perform it as well.”

Rutter will conduct the concert and Brunelle will serve as pianist for some of the pieces. For Rutter, coming to the U.S. has always been a treat and is always something of a homecoming.

“It's a curious thing, because my roots and my family are entirely in Britain, but I feel that this is my second home in the States, and it's a huge joy to return.” 

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Jacob Aloi

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A Minnesota choral institution is hosting the composer behind some of the most widely sung sacred music in the U.S., pairing a rare U.S. premiere with a concert that bridges Christmas tradition and Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

A rare U.S. premiere brings Harlem Renaissance poetry to sacred music

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