¡Cantaré! Increasing Cultural Awareness through Choral Music

This presentation examines the impact of a unique community engagement program called ¡Cantaré!, which places Mexican composers in Minnesota classrooms to serve as composers-in-residence. Since 2008, the Minnesota-based chorus VocalEssence has connected eight different Mexican composers with more than 20 school, college and community choruses. Urban, suburban and rural communities have participated. The composers work directly with the singers and write new choral works specifically for each group. Through the VocalEssence !Cantaré! program, more than 5000 people have heard 35 new choral works, commissioned and premiered in community concerts throughout the state.

In this session, you will learn how to implement this kind of program with your own choir.  Specifics will include:

• Developing a Community Cultural Advisory Committee
• Recruiting schools for a new initiative
• Selecting composers
• Temporary work visas—how this can be done without paying a lawyer thousands of dollars
• Challenges in working with immigrant communities
• Fundraising a new program
• Documenting the experience
• Celebrating expected and unexpected outcomes