about us
The Minnesota Center Chorale (MCC) is a regional community chorus which begins its 53rd season in the fall of 2025. 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.​
The mission of Minnesota Center Chorale is to foster and share the art of choral music, as well as to serve our community, through the pursuit of choral excellence in repertoire and performance. The auditioned members of the chorus share a love of music and a commitment to excellence. We are a dedicated core of members who are enthusiastic about our mission and our choral involvement is an important priority in our lives. Our conductor leads us in growing artistically and we encourage one another in the development of joyful music.
Sacred masterworks performed in recent seasons include Missa Brevis by John Rutter, Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi, 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.
Our Artistic Director
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Jody Martinson is a choral educator for Foley Public Schools, teaching junior high and high school choirs. She is a former Artistic Director and Conductor of Minnesota Center Chorale during the 2009-2017 seasons. She served for 20 years as music director for Holy Spirit Church in St. Cloud, and currently directs the Cold Spring Area Maennerchor. Jody has been a regular performer in the central Minnesota area. She has appeared as a soprano soloist with St. John's Boys' Choir, Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud Municipal Band, Rock City Jazz Band, Bach Society of MN outreach program, Sauk Center Community Choir, Minnesota Saints Chorale, and the CSB/SJU Orchestra. She appeared regularly in the role of “Mother” in Amahl and the Night Visitors for biennial performances held at Bethlehem Church, and has performed various theatrical roles with GREAT Theatre. She was a founding member of a cappella group, Five Good Reasons, and of a recital performance group called Central Minnesota Musicale. Jody holds a BA in Vocal Performance and Music Education from the College of St. Benedict, and a MM in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State University. She lives in St. Cloud with her husband and two children.
Photo: Jody and her husband Todd. They met in MCC years ago!
our accompanist
Coming Soon.
