WITNESS: Symphony of Spirituals | VocalEssence at Northrop

Captioning

Lift your voice and sing for justice as VocalEssence presents songs of resilience and resistance that inspire all to continue the march towards freedom and racial reconciliation. Hear the rhythmic cry for freedom found in The Justice Symphony by Damien Geter, echoing anthems from the Civil Rights Movement and accompanied by a live symphony orchestra. Experience the poignant and beautiful sounds of the Negro spiritual in the world-premiere performance of two newly commissioned works by the multi-talented composer B.E. Boykin. Embrace the unifying spirit of community!

WITNESS: Symphony of Spirituals will feature the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, elder singers from the VocalEssence Vintage Voices, diverse teenage choir VocalEssence Singers Of This Age, and a symphony orchestra with G. Phillip Shoultz III conducting.

Top image: VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

Gallery

Members of a choir singing onstage wearing stoles in front of a purple background.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

A choir sings with music in their hands in front of a purple background.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

The singers of the WITNESS choir performing onstage with a conductor at Northrop with a purple and pink spotted background.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

Young choir members singing in front of a purple background.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

A choir performs in front of a pink background with a woman in a white dress dancing in front of them.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

A choir singing in front of a pink and purple spotted background with a conductor in front of them.

VocalEssence WITNESS. Photo © Kyndell Harkness.

Articles & More

“VocalEssence offers powerful ‘WITNESS: Eyes Still on the Prize’ concert at Northrop.”—Minnesota Star Tribune

“The most charismatic performers onstage were the youngest. Singers of This Age (or SOTA, for short) is a group of high school-age singers who throw themselves body and soul into their singing. They delivered a version of B.E. Boykin’s Stand Up! that earned its exclamation point.”—Minnesota Star Tribune

“A WITNESS concert is a beautiful thing, uplifting and inspiring.”—MinnPost

“VocalEssence, one of the Twin Cities’ premier singing ensembles, has shone a light on African-American musical genius and ingenuity through its WITNESS concert.”—Minnesota Star Tribune

Related Links

VocalEssence website

The Justice Symphony by Damien Geter

B.E. Boykin - Song of America

To Help You Decide

Create Your Own Package

Our flexible Create Your Own package lets you choose your experiences from any three or more in-person events from the 2025–26 Northrop Season! Subscribers enjoy:

Savings of 15%—when you buy three+ 2025–26 Northrop Season events
Best seats—be among the first to choose
Partial payment plans
Early prepaid parking reservations—order when you purchase tickets
Invites to exclusive, behind-the-scenes events
Flexibility at no extra cost—get unlimited free ticket exchanges
Our appreciation for supporting Northrop programming and Centennial Commissions! Your purchase helps make a difference.

Package Details

You might enjoy this performance if you love(d):

VocalEssence: WITNESS: Eyes Still on the Prize
VocalEssence: Welcome Christmas
Let Freedom Ring

Know Before You Go

Event Information

Seating: Ticket Required
Performance Begins: 4:00 pm
Pick 3 or More Events and Save

If you need assistance, please call 612-624-2345, email umntix@umn.edu.

Planning Your Visit

Parking & Directions

Purchase Pre-Paid Parking (subject to availability)

Traffic Impact - See what else is happening on campus

Sustainable Transportation

Request Accessibility Services

Northrop Policies

Learn About Discounts

The Bistro and Concessions

Find Your Event Info link

Acknowledgments

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.