Cantus Announces 2025-26 Season

In commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Cantus offers Land That I Love – a concert program honoring our diverse American heritage with captivating music by composers carrying their own migration stories. From Saunder Choi and Chen Yi to Gloria Estefan and Bob Marley, these artists are as wide-ranging and multi-faceted as the music they create. Land That I Love will also feature a new arrangement by Yosvany Estepe Diaz and a newly commissioned work from Shabnam Abedi.
 
Mahatma Ghandi said, “A nation’s culture resides within the hearts and in the soul of its people,” and there can be no clearer means to express that collective heart and soul than through music. With Land That I Love, Cantus has created an uplifting program filled with pride and passion for our shared American identity.

• America the Beautiful - Samuel Ward; arr. Paul John Rudoi
• Leron, Leron, Sinta - Saunder Choi
• El Manisero - Moises Simons; arr. Yosvany Estepe Diaz
• Ave Que Emigra (Migrating Bird) - Gaby Moreno
• Positive Vibration - Bob Marley

Three Tales of Christmas offers an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and joy of the holiday season. Cantus’ beloved holiday program was deemed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “as joyful a celebration of the season's spirit as any caroling party you're likely to attend this year.”

• Christmastime is Here - Vince Guaraldi
• Still Still Still - Traditional; arr. Yumiko Matsuoka
• O Christmas Tree - Traditional; arr. Alice Parker
• Spirit of the Season - Alan Silvestri
• Selections from The Nutcracker - Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Some melodies do more than linger in your ears – they anchor and draw us together in powerful ways. Music has a unique way of bridging divides and reminding us of our shared humanity – transforming a room into a space of belonging. Featuring cherished works of the choral canon like “Shenandoah,” “Lux Aurumque,” and the eponymous “Deep River,” this program lifts up the bonds we form when we join together in song, and celebrates the power of music to ground us in empathy and bind us in community.

• Deep River - Traditional; arr. H.T. Burleigh
• Shenandoah - Traditional; arr. James Erb / Marshall Bartholomew
• Lux Aurumque - Eric Whitacre
• Simple Gifts - Traditional; arr. Stephen Caracciolo
• Steal Away - Traditional; Stacey V. Gibbs

This season’s iteration of Cantus’ annual COVERS series celebrates icon Dolly Parton and her profound influence on generations of artists. From timeless classics like “Jolene” and “9 to 5” to legendary ballads like “I Will Always Love You” that have transcended the country music genre, Dolly’s songwriting brilliance and unmatched charisma continue to inspire artists across the musical spectrum.
 
In Dolly & Friends, one will also hear bold, fresh interpretations of songs by iconic female artists such as Beyoncé, Norah Jones, Indigo Girls, Chappell Roan, Cher, and many more. Together, these performances pay tribute to the wit, warmth, and wisdom that have made Dolly Parton a true living legend.
 
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering her magic for the first time, this celebration of bold voices and timeless melodies will have you tapping your toes, singing along, and embracing the joy, heartbreak, and hope that only great music can bring. Don’t miss this dazzling night of rhinestones, harmonies, and heart!

• 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
• Jolene - Dolly Parton
• Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
• Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
• Pink Pony Club - Chappell Roan

What does it mean to create beauty in the face of injustice? During the Harlem Renaissance, Black poets, musicians, and artists answered that question with works of brilliance. In Genius Child, Cantus honors that legacy through two evocative song cycles: H. Leslie Adams’ Nightsongs and Ricky Ian Gordon’s Genius Child. With texts by Langston Hughes, Georgia D. Johnson and others, the music brings to life voices that continue to resonate, urging us to reflect on our shared histories and the enduring power of art to inspire change.

• Genius Child (Song Cycle) - Ricky Ian Gordon
• Nightsongs (Song Cycle) - H. Leslie Adams
• Selections from Fields of Wonder - Margaret Bonds

Experience a rare moment in vocal history as two of the world’s finest vocal ensembles come together for the first time on one stage. Hear the American warmth of Cantus and the British precision and charm of The King’s Singers in this one-night-only event showcasing a transcendent program of music from across centuries and continents. The collaboration continues Cantus’ proud tradition of sharing the stage with such groups as The Swingles, Chanticleer, Canadian Brass, Lorelei Ensemble, Cantus Norway, and Sweet Honey in the Rock.

 
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis
 
Special events are not part of subscription packages. Tickets for Cantus and The King’s Singers go on sale on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

About Cantus

Now entering its 31^st season, the “engaging” (New Yorker) low-voice ensemble Cantus is widely known for its trademark warmth and blend, innovative programming and riveting performances of music ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century. The Washington Post has hailed the Cantus sound as having both “exalting finesse” and “expressive power” and refers to the “spontaneous grace” of its music making. The Philadelphia Inquirer called the group nothing short of “exquisite.”

As one of the nation’s few full-time vocal ensembles, Cantus has come to prominence with its distinctive approach to creating music. Working without a conductor, the members of Cantus rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing to the entirety of the artistic process, creating programs that give voice to shared human experiences. As the Star Tribune has written, “The main hallmark of the Cantus sound has always been sheer quality and an unbroken belief in the special way that vocal music has of warming and invigorating the human spirit.”

Cantus enjoys a vigorous schedule of national and international touring, in addition to home concerts in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Cantus has performed at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, UCLA, San Francisco Performances, Tanglewood and Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. Cantus also makes all of its home concerts available online. This pandemic-prompted innovation has brought the ensemble’s programs to audiences spanning 50 states and sixteen countries.

Cantus records for the UK-based Signum Classics label which has released the popular COVID-19 Sessions, Manifesto, holiday album Into the Light, Alone Together and, in July 2025, Fields of Wonder.  Cantus also has a deep catalog of recordings released on the group’s eponymous label.

Committed to the expansion of the vocal music repertoire, Cantus actively commissions new music and seeks to unearth rarely performed repertoire for low voices. Cantus has received commissioning grants from New Music USA, the National Endowment for the Arts, Chorus America, American Composers Forum and Chamber Music America. In 2023, Cantus was honored with the Alice Parker Fund Award from Chorus America that recognizes the exemplary work of an ensemble that respectfully and authentically presents works incorporating Black and Latinx traditions and experiences. In line with Cantus’ ongoing commitment to fostering new works for tenors, baritones, and basses, the ensemble has partnered with composer and former Cantus bass Timothy C. Takach and Graphite Publishing on the Cantus Choral Series, distributing Cantus’ signature arrangements and compositions for ensembles everywhere to perform and enjoy.

Cantus has a rich history of collaborations with other performing arts organizations, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Pops, Chanticleer, the Swingles, the Canadian Brass, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Lorelei Ensemble, Theater Latté Da and the James Sewell Ballet. The ensemble is heard frequently on both classical public radio nationwide and on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Integral to the Cantus mission is its commitment to preserve and strengthen music education in schools. Cantus works with more than 5,000 students each year in masterclass and workshop settings across the country and has been in-residence in 31 Minnesota high schools throughout their award-winning program’s 15-year history. In the 2023-24 season, Cantus deepened its commitment to students by creating the High School Mentorship program, which offers Cantus artists in-residence at one Twin Cities-based high school for the entirety of the school year. Cantus has also broadened its work by launching a yearly, statewide festival in partnership with American Choral Directors Association Minnesota catered to high school tenor and bass singers. Additionally, the ensemble hosts an annual Young and Emerging Composers Competition to encourage the creation of new repertoire through cash prizes, a performance, recording, and potential publication of winning composers.

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Contact:
Rebecca Davis
Rebecca Davis Public Relations
Rebecca@rebeccadavispr.com
347-432-8832