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Summer Chorus 2024: The Artistry of Genius, the choral orchestral works of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Rehearsals starting July 8. Concert August 3, 7:30pm.
The Oratorio Society of Minnesota is an auditioned choral ensemble based in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, now in its 44th Season season. In addition to its annual season concerts, OSM offers its youth and community engagement programs
Viva Coro! and Summer Chorus. We challenge and delight our audiences and singers through dynamic and diverse choral music performed with skill and passion. Our civic engagement and educational programs foster lifelong choral singing.
"Twin Cities' foremost presenter of large-scale works for chorus and orchestra."
Pioneer Press (11/2016)

2023-2024 Concert Season

Alzheimer's Stories

Alzheimer's Stories

Sunday, November 19, 2023 3:00 pm

at Roseville Lutheran Church

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Winter Concert

The Three Holy Children

The Three Holy Children

Friday, April 5, 2024 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2024: The Artistry of Genius

Summer Chorus 2024: The Artistry of Genius

Saturday, August 3, 2024 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Our 2023-2024 Concert Season

Select a season to explore and then move the mouse over the desired concert poster for more detailed information.

  • 2023-2024
  • 2022-2023
  • 2021-2022
  • 2020-2021
  • 2019-2020
  • 2018-2019
  • 2017-2018
  • 2016-2017
  • 2015-2016
  • 2014-2015
  • 2013-2014
  • 2012-2013
Alzheimer's Stories

Alzheimer's Stories

Sunday, November 19, 2023 3:00 pm

at Roseville Lutheran Church

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Winter Concert

The Three Holy Children

The Three Holy Children

Friday, April 5, 2024 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

View more info

Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2024: The Artistry of Genius

Summer Chorus 2024: The Artistry of Genius

Saturday, August 3, 2024 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Haydn: The Creation

Haydn: The Creation

Sunday, November 6, 2022 3:00 pm

at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church

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Winter Concert

LOVE

LOVE

Sunday, April 16, 2023 3:00 pm

at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2023 The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci

Summer Chorus 2023 The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci

Saturday, August 5, 2023 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Eternal Light - A Requiem

Eternal Light - A Requiem

Sunday, April 24, 2022 3:00 pm

at Westwood Lutheran Church

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2022: Rodgers and Hammerstein

Summer Chorus 2022: Rodgers and Hammerstein

Saturday, July 30, 2022 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Global Choral Traditions

Global Choral Traditions

Wednesday, January 13, 2021 7:30 pm

at Virtual

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Winter Concert

Candid Conversations

Candid Conversations

Tuesday, July 13, 2021 8:00 pm

at Virtual

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Spring Concert

The French Connection - from Fauré to Duruflé

The French Connection - from Fauré to Duruflé

Friday, November 15, 2019 7:30 pm

at Basilica of Saint Mary

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Winter Concert

Choral Evensong

Choral Evensong

Sunday, February 23, 2020 3:00 pm

at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

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Spring Concert

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

Sunday, November 11, 2018 3:30 pm

at Northrop Auditorium
Carlson Family Stage

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Winter Concert

Victoria - A Life in Music

Victoria - A Life in Music

Saturday, April 13, 2019 7:30 pm

at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
Sunday, April 14, 2019 2:00 pm

at Hamline Church

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2019: A Night at the Opera

Summer Chorus 2019: A Night at the Opera

Saturday, August 3, 2019 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Better is Peace - The Music of Karl Jenkins

Better is Peace - The Music of Karl Jenkins

Friday, November 10, 2017 7:30 pm

at Ordway Concert Hall

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Winter Concert

The Greatest Generation - An American Oratorio

The Greatest Generation - An American Oratorio

Saturday, May 12, 2018 7:30 pm

at Ordway Concert Hall

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2018: Leonard Bernstein at 100

Summer Chorus 2018: Leonard Bernstein at 100

Saturday, August 4, 2018 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Greater Love: In Search of the Hidden Road

Greater Love: In Search of the Hidden Road

Friday, November 18, 2016 7:30 pm

at St. Thomas More Catholic Church

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Winter Concert

Randall Thompson: Requiem

Randall Thompson: Requiem

Friday, April 28, 2017 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2017: Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem

Summer Chorus 2017: Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem

Saturday, August 5, 2017 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Remembrance Day Concert

Remembrance Day Concert

Saturday, November 21, 2015 7:30 pm

at Ordway Concert Hall

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Winter Concert

Voices of Light

Voices of Light

Friday, April 15, 2016 8:00 pm

at Cathedral of Saint Paul
Friday, April 22, 2016 8:00 pm

at Basilica of Saint Mary

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Spring Concert

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Saturday, August 6, 2016 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Mendelsohn: Saint Paul

Mendelsohn: Saint Paul

Saturday, November 15, 2014 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Winter Concert

A Downtown Abbey Christmas

A Downtown Abbey Christmas

Saturday, December 13, 2014 7:30 pm

at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

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Christmas Concert

To Fly Unbounded

To Fly Unbounded

Saturday, March 14, 2015 7:30 pm

at Augustana Lutheran Church

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March Concert

Honegger: King David

Honegger: King David

Saturday, May 16, 2015 7:30 pm

at Roseville Lutheran Church

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May Concert

Great Opera Choruses

Great Opera Choruses

Saturday, August 1, 2015 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Whitbourn: Annelies

Whitbourn: Annelies

Sunday, November 24, 2013 3:00 pm

at Colonia Church of Edina

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Winter Concert

The Music of Downton Abbey

The Music of Downton Abbey

Saturday, March 8, 2014 7:30 pm

at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral

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Christmas Concert

Let My People Go

Let My People Go

Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:30 pm

at Hamline United Methodist Church

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Spring Concert

Summer Chorus 2014

Summer Chorus 2014

Saturday, July 26, 2014 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Friday, November 2, 2012 7:30 pm

at Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University

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Winter Concert

Schuman: Casey at the Bat

Schuman: Casey at the Bat

Saturday, March 16, 2013 7:30 pm

at Janet Wallace Center, Macalester College

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March Concert

Brahms: Requiem

Brahms: Requiem

Saturday, May 11, 2013 7:30 pm

at Hamline United Methodist Church

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May Concert

Summer Chorus 2013

Summer Chorus 2013

Saturday, July 27, 2013 7:30 pm

at Ted Mann Concert Hall

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Summer Chorus Concert

Support the Oratorio Society

The Oratorio Society has been celebrating choral music since 1980, thanks to our many friends and supporters. Your continued generosity will help us to provide wonderful musical experiences for years to come, and will enable us to continue to keep ticket prices low so we can make great choral music accessible to all.

We will recognize your generosity in each concert program, listing contributors as shown to the right:

Contribute online to Oratorio Society

Contributors   $1 - $49
Friends   $50 - $99
Donors   $100 - $249
Supporters   $250 - $499
Patrons   $500 - $999
Partners   $1,000 - $2,499
Benefactors   $2,500+

Contribute by Check

If you prefer to donate by check, make it payable to “Oratorio Society of Minnesota” and give to any chorus member, bring it to a concert, or mail to:

Oratorio Society of Minnesota
P.O. Box 131814
St. Paul, MN 55113

The Oratorio Society is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation. Donations are tax deductible as permitted by law.

Employer Matching Program

Ask your employer if they have a “matching gifts program” to match your contribution. If so, this is an easy way to double or triple your contribution, at no additional cost to you!

Our "Wish List"

Another way you can support the Oratorio Society is through donation of goods and services. These donations are also tax deductible. Currently, we are looking for:

  • Printing of our brochures & programs
  • Photography for publicity photos
For more information, or if you'd like to make a donation, please send us a email.

Viva Coro!

Viva Coro 2015
Viva Coro!, the Oratorio Society's youth engagement program, aims to inspire the next next generation of singers to be lifelong participants in choral music.

Viva Coro! invites high school-age singers to rehearse and perform a choral masterwork with the Oratorio Society and a professional orchestra.

For more information about the program, please send us an email.
Viva Coro 2015

Participants Comments

"It was incredible! It's one thing to listen to the Requiem with the orchestra and a full choir, but another thing to be part of it. It was like an out-of-body experience. No! It actually was!"
"It was just kind of like, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
"I'd have to agree with that. Singing with 82 adult singers, with them and the sound they can make, is a very special experience."
Our Viva Coro! program provides wonderful benefits to high school singers, who get a chance to enjoy performing great choral works with professional orchestra and the Oratorio Society.

Summer Chorus

Held yearly during the month of July, Summer Chorus is a collaboration between the Oratorio Society of Minnesota
and the University of Minnesota School of Music.

Summer Chorus 2024

Rehearsals:
July 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31 All rehearsals are from 7-9:30 pm in room 85 of Ferguson Hall on the campus of the University of MN

Dress Rehearsal August 3 - 9:30am-1pm

Performance August 3, 7:30 pm

Auditions

Requesting an Audition
Please email Matthew Mehaffey, Artistic Director, at [email protected] to set up a date and time.

Audition Process
Please read the following information carefully before requesting an audition – you will be asked to:

  • Bring a prepared solo to sing
    Bring a copy for yourself and a bound copy for the accompanist. Note: the melody of a hymn tune is also acceptable, but you must bring a harmonized version of it for the accompanist.
  • Vocalize
    To the high and low extremes of your range
    Sing back pitch recall exercises
    Sight read a selection provided
    The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.

Location
Auditions are held at Macalester Plymouth United Church (see rehearsal venue below)

Rehearsal Venue

Macalester Plymouth United Church

1658 Lincoln Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 612-419-6536
 Macalester Campus Map
 Macalester Plymouth United Church

 

Artistic Staff

Mr. Matthew Mehaffey

Artistic Director Matthew Mehaffey

American conductor and educator Matthew Mehaffey enjoys a national reputation in the field of choral/orchestral music through his engaging artistry, collaborative spirit, affirming pedagogical style, and entrepreneurial approach to concert programming.

Mehaffey serves as Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota, where he was the 2015 recipient of the Arthur “Red” Motley Exemplary Teaching Award. In addition to conducting the University Singers he teaches courses in choral literature and conducting. He has been the Artistic Director of the Oratorio Society of Minnesota since 2008. During his leadership, OSM has endeavored to make the genre of Oratorio relevant to 21st century audiences. Immersive programs like The Music of Downton Abbey, Victoria! Voices of Light, Lest We Forget, and The Greatest Generation have delighted audiences and led to OSM being hailed as “Twin Cities’ foremost presenter of large-scale works for chorus and orchestra.” (Pioneer Press) From 2016-2023 he was the Music Director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, the “Choir of Choice” of the Pittsburgh Symphony. During his tenure the choir received a GRAMMY Nomination for its recording of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

He has published extensively on the topic of choral rehearsal technique with GIA Publications. He and his friend Dave Fielding are currently working on The English Heritage Music Series with the University of Minnesota Libraries. He and his wife Libby have four young children.

Accompanist Yichen Liang

Born in Suzhou, China, Yichen Liang is currently pursuing a DMA in Collaborative Piano at University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, studying with Timothy Lovelace. He studied piano performance with Edward Auer, and collaborative piano with Futaba Niekawa and Charles Prestinari at Indiana University. He got his undergraduate degree in Music Education at Shanghai Normal University. As a pianist, he participated in masterclasses with Peter Bithell, Kevin Kenner etc. Active as a versatile performer, he has played and sung in many performances of solo, chamber, and choral settings across Asia and the United States.

Mr. Yichen Liang
Dr. George S.T. Chu

Conductor Laureate George S.T. Chu

George Chu founded the Oratorio Society in 1980 and served as its Artistic Director until May 2008, when he was named its first Conductor Laureate.
As professor of music and choral activities at Hamline University, Dr. Chu directs the A Cappella Choir, an ensemble which gives students — most are non-music majors — an opportunity to sing the finest choral music and tour internationally. Dr. Chu's love of teaching resulted in a unique expansion of the Oratorio Society's activities — Viva Coro! high school choral workshops, with an emphasis on leadership.
His musical training includes a bachelor's degree from Yale University (1969) and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Indiana University (1979), where he studied with Julius Herford.
 George S.T. Chu

Administration

The Oratorio Society, a nonprofit corporation, is governed by a Board of Directors. Day-to-day affairs are handled mainly by volunteers. The Oratorio Society thrives on the energy and support of its chorus members and friends.

Board of Directors

The Society's Board of Directors consists of elected members who serve three-year terms, and the Artistic Director, an ex officio member. The current directors collectively have over 60 years of board experience, including service on nonprofit boards of directors in the arts, civic groups, and churches. This significant experience helps effectively guide and provide oversight to the Society's mission and activities.

Board Members 2023-2024

  • Mark Gustafson
  • Andrea Hansen
  • Karen Jollie
  • Ron Ketterling
  • Barry Lau
  • Rick Saumer
  • Kathy Schwister
  • Judy Taves
  • Matthew Mehaffey, Artistic Director (ex officio)

Administration Team

  • Julie Kirsch, Choir Manager
  • Kim and Volker Petersen, Webmasters