The renowned vocal group American Spiritual Ensemble (ASE) will perform at community venues and college campuses in Minnesota and Iowa this spring. The ASE is made up of 24 of the finest classical music vocalists in the world. "They are a collection of extraordinarily gifted soloists who can sing opera, musical theater, jazz, Broadway — they can sing pretty much anything," says Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, manager of Choral Initiatives at Classical MPR.
The ASE tour features dates in Moorhead, Minn.; Decorah, Iowa; and St. Paul, Minn.
Founded in 1995 by Dr. Everett McCorvey, the mission of the American Spiritual Ensemble is to keep the American Negro spiritual alive. The members of the ASE are soloists in their own right, and the ensemble's repertoire features music that highlights the African American experience. "What's so exciting about having them tour the region is they'll be delivering some of the most authentic performance of spirituals that Minnesota and Iowa have probably ever seen," Tesfa says.
In addition to performing three public concerts in the aforementioned communities, ASE will be giving lectures and master classes to students at Concordia College, Luther College and Bethel University. Classical MPR's Tesfa Wondemagenehu and Claire Philpott will join the choir throughout the residency. ""I'll be the tour guide," Tesfa laughs. "I think that's going to be a fun trip; I'm really looking forward to it.
Concert Dates
• Tuesday, April 5, 8 p.m.; Memorial Auditorium, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.; ticket information
• Thursday, April 7, 7:30 p.m.; Luther College, Center for Faith and Life, Decorah, Iowa; ticket information
• Sunday, April 10, 4 p.m.; Benson Hall, Bethel University, St. Paul, Minn.; ticket information
The Bethel performance will be broadcast live on Classical MPR and recorded for future use.
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