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| Cantiamo Choirs | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cantiamo Choirs |
| Origin | Minnesota, United States |
| Genre | Choral music |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
Cantiamo Choirs Cantiamo Choirs is a community-based youth choral organization founded in the Twin Cities region of Minneapolis–Saint Paul in the United States. The organization presents choral performance, education, and touring programs that intersect with regional institutions such as the Minnesota Orchestra, the Walker Art Center, and collegiate conservatories including the University of Minnesota School of Music and the MacPhail Center for Music. Its work engages youth through collaborations with ensembles like the St. Olaf Choir, the Gustavus Choirs, and visiting directors from the Royal College of Music and the Juilliard School.
Cantiamo Choirs traces roots to local community music initiatives of the 1990s in Hennepin County and Ramsey County. Early influences include pedagogical models from the American Choral Directors Association and repertoire trends set by groups such as the King's College Choir and the Vienna Boys' Choir. Founders drew inspiration from regional programs at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and partnerships with youth arts organizations like the Guthrie Theater and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Over successive decades Cantiamo expanded amid choral festivals such as the World Choir Games and national gatherings sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Association of Concert Bands.
Cantiamo Choirs operates as a nonprofit arts organization registered within Minnesota. Its governance model follows standards promoted by the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives and includes a board with members from institutions like the University of St. Thomas, Macalester College, and regional arts funders such as the McKnight Foundation and the Bush Foundation. Artistic leadership has featured conductors trained at conservatories including the Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, and the Curtis Institute of Music. Administrative staff liaise with partners such as the Minnesota State Arts Board and touring coordinators who work with agencies like the American Symphony Orchestra League.
Cantiamo offers tiered ensembles that cover treble, mixed, and chamber choir literature, drawing repertoire from composers and works such as Bach's motets, Igor Stravinsky's choral pieces, Eric Whitacre's contemporary works, and settings by Arvo Pärt, Caroline Shaw, and Felix Mendelssohn. Seasonal programming often includes music from the Renaissance through contemporary composition, with commissions from living composers associated with institutions like the American Composers Forum and premieres presented alongside festivals such as ACDA events. The organization also programs choral-orchestral repertoire in collaboration with ensembles performing works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Gustav Mahler.
Cantiamo's education initiatives partner with schools in districts such as Minneapolis Public Schools and St. Paul Public Schools, and community organizations like Children's Theatre Company. The choir provides workshops led by guest educators affiliated with the Orff Schulwerk tradition, faculty from the UMKC Conservatory and specialists who have taught at the Royal Academy of Music. Outreach projects include collaborations with social service agencies such as Project for Pride in Living and arts-access programs funded by the Bush Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation affiliates. Training for youth includes musicianship curricula informed by methods from the Kodály Method and resources used at the Metropolitan Opera’s education programs.
Cantiamo presents regular concert seasons at venues across the Twin Cities, including the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Orchestra Hall, and the Northrop Auditorium. The organization has undertaken domestic tours to cities such as Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco, and participated in international festivals including performances in Edinburgh, Aachen, and concert exchanges with choirs from London, Berlin, and Tokyo. Collaborations have included staged works with the Minnesota Opera, joint concerts with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and special presentations at cultural institutions like the Weisman Art Museum.
Cantiamo's recordings document both standard choral repertoire and commissioned works; sessions have been produced in studios associated with labels akin to Naxos, GIA Publications, and regional independent producers. The organization and its members have received recognition from bodies such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the McKnight Artist Fellowship, and honors presented at the American Prize competitions and state-level arts awards administered by the Minnesota State Arts Board. Individual singers have earned placements and scholarships tied to programs at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Category:Choirs in Minnesota Category:Youth choirs