Singers in Accord Choral Ensemble was created in 2009 to enrich lives and build community through the power of choral music. With no permanent conductor, the group collaborates with a new conductor, performing artist, or artistic ensemble in each concert to create distinctive concert experiences for its singers and audience members. Singers in Accord strives to enrich the cultural life of the community through outreach, education and innovative performances. Singers in Accord is a 501c3 non-profit corporation.
Our History
The ensemble was originally founded in 1996 as World Voices by Dr. Karle Erickson, Artistic Director . At each of its concerts, World Voices focused on the music of a particular culture or region of the world. In 2009, the board of directors of World Voices turned leadership of the organization to a new board made up of six singers from World Voices. The new board changed the name of the ensemble to Singers in Accord and changed its artistic model to one of inviting different conductors to collaborate with the singers as artistic partners to create each concert program. Since 2009, Singers in Accord has worked with 13 different conductors.
Dr. Angela Broeker, Director of Choral Activities at the University of St. Thomas, said this about Singers in Accord:
"The ensemble model first brought to the United States was from Europe, where kings and queens and various other heads of state built top-down hierarchical models that contained a single leader responsible for structure and policy. But here in the United States, where our country is based on shared governance, doesn't it make sense to have a choral ensemble where singers take ownership? You've created an ensemble hungry for varied approaches to the choral art, an ensemble committed to collaborations, and an ensemble always open to the sharing of new ideas. A forward-looking ensemble committed to 21st-century values!"
Singers in Accord has no paid staff but is run by singer / Team Leaders who also function as its board. The eight teams which lead the organization are: Artistic, Concert Planning, Marketing, Process Control, Technology, Financial, Fund Raising, and Administration.
1771 Energy Park Drive, Suite 400, St. Paul, MN 55108
Why You Should Join
Singers in Accord provides a unique opportunity to sing under the leadership of some of the regions best conductors. The ensembles engages a different conductor for each project who is a specialist in their repertoire choice. This gives singers a rich experience whether as a conductor or teacher themselves to learn from these many guest conductors or to improve their skills as a choral artist, or just experience the beauty of choral music interpreted by many different conductors.
Additional Info for Choristers
Singers in Accord prepares two concerts per year - one in November and one in May. Rehearsals begin 10 weeks prior to the concerts and are Tuesday evenings from 7 - 9pm in St. Paul, MN
Our Mission
To enrich lives and build community through the power of choral music.
