About Us
The Minnesota Center Chorale is committed to providing both its membership and audience
with a significant personal experience through the performance of great choral music.
The Minnesota Center Chorale (MCC) is a regional community chorus which began its 49th season in the fall of 2021. MCC draws members throughout central Minnesota into this 60-80 member auditioned choir to perform a mixture of classical and contemporary music. All the members are volunteers.
Sacred masterworks performed in recent seasons include The Creation (Die Schöpfung) by Franz Joseph Haydn; Requiem Mass settings by Johann Brahms, W.A. Mozart and Guiseppi Verdi; Mass settings by Charles Gounod, Ethel Smyth, and Amy Beach; and Te Deum settings by Zoltan Kodaly and Anton Bruckner.
MCC has performed unique and eclectic works such as Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio and Benjamin Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb; and presented programs entitled A Civil War Portrait with musicians Cristina Seaborn and Paul Imholte; The Emerald Isle-with collaborative guests Ring of Kerry; The Reluctant Dragon – a free family concert held at The East-Side Boys and Girls Club; When Music Sounds -composed by Roger Towler and performed with the Bethlehem Strings; and We Remember – a memorial concert for 9/11 with the Land of Lakes Choirboys.
Lighter concerts include Postcards From Minnesota, with special guests St. John's Boys' Choir; Let's Go to the Movies!; A Broadway Valentine; and concerts with the St. Cloud Municipal Band - From Sea to Shining Sea, a concert to honor war veterans, and I Hear America Singing, a patriotic concert.
Past residencies include St. Cloud native Flannery Cunningham with the premiere of Nightlines, composer Caleb Wenzel with the premiere of the MCC commission of Psalm 150, a premiere of the commissioned work Songs of War and Peace by Judith Shatin, Korean American composer Yung-wha Son with Song of Diaspora, English composer David Fanshawe and a performance of his African Sanctus, and Mary McAuliffe from Ireland for a performance of her Return to Old Ireland.
Minnesota Center Chorale continues to seek ways to bring the art of choral singing to central Minnesota in unique and inspiring ways. We hope to see you at a future concert and to leave you with a moving and fulfilling musical experience.
Sacred masterworks performed in recent seasons include The Creation (Die Schöpfung) by Franz Joseph Haydn; Requiem Mass settings by Johann Brahms, W.A. Mozart and Guiseppi Verdi; Mass settings by Charles Gounod, Ethel Smyth, and Amy Beach; and Te Deum settings by Zoltan Kodaly and Anton Bruckner.
MCC has performed unique and eclectic works such as Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio and Benjamin Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb; and presented programs entitled A Civil War Portrait with musicians Cristina Seaborn and Paul Imholte; The Emerald Isle-with collaborative guests Ring of Kerry; The Reluctant Dragon – a free family concert held at The East-Side Boys and Girls Club; When Music Sounds -composed by Roger Towler and performed with the Bethlehem Strings; and We Remember – a memorial concert for 9/11 with the Land of Lakes Choirboys.
Lighter concerts include Postcards From Minnesota, with special guests St. John's Boys' Choir; Let's Go to the Movies!; A Broadway Valentine; and concerts with the St. Cloud Municipal Band - From Sea to Shining Sea, a concert to honor war veterans, and I Hear America Singing, a patriotic concert.
Past residencies include St. Cloud native Flannery Cunningham with the premiere of Nightlines, composer Caleb Wenzel with the premiere of the MCC commission of Psalm 150, a premiere of the commissioned work Songs of War and Peace by Judith Shatin, Korean American composer Yung-wha Son with Song of Diaspora, English composer David Fanshawe and a performance of his African Sanctus, and Mary McAuliffe from Ireland for a performance of her Return to Old Ireland.
Minnesota Center Chorale continues to seek ways to bring the art of choral singing to central Minnesota in unique and inspiring ways. We hope to see you at a future concert and to leave you with a moving and fulfilling musical experience.
Artistic Director & Conductor
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Nicole Lambrecht is Associate Professor of Music at Bethel University where she directs the women’s choir Lucia Chorum. Prior to this, she taught middle & high school choir for eight years and also worked as a therapeutic musician for Knute Nelson Hospice. Nicole is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Music Education from Liberty University's School of Music. She holds a Master of Music with a Conducting Specialization under Maestro Wes Kenney, Dr. Rebecca Philips, and Dr. James Kim from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in K-12 Choral Music Education from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Nicole has served on the Minnesota Music Educators Association board and has presented choirs at MMEA Midwinter Clinic and in several festivals in MN and ND. Nicole has also been a clinician at the American Choral Directors Association state conference and served as section leader for MN All-State Choirs. Nicole has directed numerous ecumenical church cantatas, serves as a worship leader at First Lutheran Church, and as choir director at St. Luke’s Church. As a trained coloratura soprano, Nicole has performed as a soloist with Opera Fort Collins, Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead Choral Artists, Chant Claire, and Central Lakes Symphony Chorale. She is a member of American Choral Directors Association and Minnesota Music Educators Association. Nicole lives in Alexandria, MN with her husband Brad, her two stepdaughters – Kennison and Anniley, - their five rescue cats – Rick, Felix, Milton, Mabel, & Opal - and their rescue Newfoundland dog, Gus.
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Photo credit: Design Studio by Stacy
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Our Accompanist
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Irina Stene holds a D.M.A in Collaborative Piano/Coaching (2018) from the University of Minnesota, where she studied under Dr. Timothy Lovelace. Her musical training began in her native Russia at the age of six and included full scholarships to the public music academy in Arkhangelsk, where she earned her Bachelor’s, and to the Petrozavodsk State Conservatory, where she completed her Master’s (2003) as a piano performer, concertmaster and piano instructor. In St. Petersburg (Russia), she served as staff accompanist/pianist at the music school, working with children’s groups and maintaining a private piano studio. Since her move to St. Cloud, MN in 2011, she has been actively involved with regional music programs. Her work at College of St.Benedict/St.John’s University, and Saint Cloud State University includes accompanying student and faculty voice and instrumental recitals and music directing opera workshops; she is a member of the faculty of St. Cloud State’s Music Preparatory Program and has collaborated with the Saint Cloud State University Women’s Choir, Tech High School Choir and Band. During her D.M.A studies, Irina regularly took part in master classes conducted by instructors from the Julliard School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, and numerous other prestigious institutions. She has twice participated as a pianist-vocalist duo in the annual “Source Song Festival”, where she worked with Olivier Godin, Julius Drake, François Le Roux, Stephen Swanson and Arlene Shrut. An active performer both in the Twin Cities and the St. Cloud area, Irina lives in St. Cloud with her husband, daughter, and their dog Cesar. She is excited to collaborate with Minnesota Center Chorale and help to continue their mission of bringing excellent choral music to the community.
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Board of Directors |
President: Mark Braun
Vice President: Susan Atamian Secretary: Hanna Mahan Treasurer: Ryan Miller Chipy Blonigen Lee Hart Anne McCarney Artistic Director & Conductor: Nicole Lambrecht Operations Coordinator: Michelle Dettmann Accompanist: Irina Stene Stage Management: Mark Braun Grant Coordinator: David McCandless Past President: Amanda Goedeke *MCC is currently seeking 1 or 2 new Board members with energy and vision! If you would like to be considered for the Board of Directors, please send an inquiry email to: mcc.coordinator@gmail.com. |