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SING DEMOCRACY 250 presents

Minneapolis Signature Concert

Performance will include Minnesota-based ensembles: Together In Hope Choir, St. Scholastica Chamber Choir, Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble (Rochester), Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

Concert will commemorate 250 years of democracy through song, featuring the Minnesota premiere of two new commissions and world premiere of new fanfare by Steven Amundson

Full details avilable at: www.singdemocracy250.org

 

(Minneapolis, MN) – The national initiative Sing Democracy 250 (SD250) will present a signature concert in Minneapolis, MN on April 12, 2026, at the renowned Orchestra Hall (1111 Nicollet Mall.) This event marks the second in a series of four signature concerts nationwide, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through new music, community voices, and a spirit of unity. The world premiere performance was held in Philadelphia this past fall at Marian Anderson Hall. Additional performances will be held in New York City and Washington, D.C. later this year. Performers in Minneapolis will include the Together In Hope Choir, St. Scholastica Chamber Choir (Duluth), Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble (Rochester), young singers of the Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, all led by Minneapolis conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III.

Through newly commissioned choral works including US and Redeem the Dream, Sing Democracy 250 invites reflection on the founding ideals of the nation and the Declaration of Independence: exploring where those hopes have been fulfilled, where they have fallen short, and presenting the ten habits of good citizenship. The mission extends outward through SD250’s nationwide All America Program, creating a shared musical dialogue that affirms the dream of a brighter tomorrow, and reminds us how music can help light the way through even the darkest moments.

“Bringing Sing Democracy 250 to Minneapolis feels especially meaningful right now,” said co-founders Gary Aamodt and Celia Ellingson. “This is a city where voices matter—where people show up, speak honestly, and wrestle with what it means to live together in community. It is also the city where Sing Democracy 250 was born, and the place we call home. This concert is an invitation to gather through music, to reflect on the fundamental values expressed in the Declaration of Independence—that all are equal before the law, that all share the same rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Hearing this message through voices coming together in harmony provides a powerful opening for people to work together toward that ‘more perfect union’.”

"This concert was born out of a deep desire to bring people together to honor the 250th anniversary of our country,” said conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III. “We are living in a time when division too often defines our public life. Music has a unique power to gatherus in the same space, to help us listen to one another, and to remind us of our shared humanity. When we sing together, we practice the very act of community.”

 

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The April concert will feature the Minnesota premiere of two newly commissioned choral works and the world premiere of a fanfare:

 

• (Minnesota Premiere) Redeem the Dream, composed by Dr. Brandon A. Boyd: Redeem the Dream is based on Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again,” written in 1935. The poem reflects on the gap between the ideals of American democracy as articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the reality experienced by many people over our history. Yet the poem ends with hope that America can live up to its promises of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all. The poet affirms that we, the people, can and must redeem the vision of America and make America what it is intended to be. Hughes’ poem is introduced by words from the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Boyd is the Marie M. and Harry L. Smith Endowed Chair and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Missouri. His work has been showcased at Carnegie Hall, and he is widely recognized as a conductor, composer, arranger, and pianist whose music is regularly performed across the United States and abroad.

• (Minnesota Premiere) US, composed by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm: US was inspired by Richard Haass’ book The Bill of Obligations, published in 2023, a bold call for Americans to adopt the habits of good citizenship. This piece begins with an urgent invitation, then presents, and unpacks, each of 10 obligations of good citizens with quotations from a diverse group of Americans, from founding fathers to living Americans. These quotes explain each obligation and, in so doing, demonstrate that each of these obligations has been understood and practiced throughout America’s history. The piece concludes with an inspiring call to citizenship, encouraging all citizens to adopt these obligations as an action plan for renewing American democracy. Bussewitz-Quarm, winner of The American Prize in Choral Composition (2021), is known for music that engages with pressing social and environmental issues—from coral reef conservation to gun violence to the global refugee crisis. Her works have been performed by leading choral ensembles across North America, including a Carnegie Hall debut and major performances in Vancouver, Eugene, and at Duke University.

• (World Premiere) Fanfare: Democracy 250 by Steven Amundson. Amundson is the conductor of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and the former director of the St. Olaf Orchestra. Fanfare: Democracy 250, was written in anticipation of the nation’s 250th anniversary and dedicated to the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Scored as an energetic, brass-forward fanfare, the work weaves recognizable fragments of “America the Beautiful” throughout, allowing the full melody to emerge at the close. Moments of tension and pause give way to a contrasting section filled with optimism and hope, offering a vision of unity and a brighter future.

Signature concerts will also take place in New York City (May 2026), and Washington, D.C. (June 2026). Beyond these concerts, the initiative expands into the All America Program, a call for choirs nationwide to participate by performing these works in their own communities. More than 150 choirs have committed to more than 75 performances across 35 states and the District of Columbia from March to December in 2026.

 

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Concert Details for Listings

Sing Democracy 250 in Minneapolis

Date/Time: April 12, 2026 | 4:00PM

Location: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Tickets: Tickets available at -  www.minnesotaorchestra.org/singdemocracy250

G. Phillip Shoultz, III, conductor

Together In Hope Choir Choral Arts Ensemble (Rochester)

Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon Choir

St. Scholastica Chamber Choir (Duluth)

Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

 

Program:

Fanfare: Democracy 250 by Steven Amundson(World Premiere)

The Star-Spangled Banner arranged by G. Phillip Shoultz, III

Redeem the Dream by Brandon A. Boyd

US by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm

Lift Every Voice and Sing arranged by G. Phillip Shoultz, III

 

Sing Democracy 250 is a nationwide nonpartisan musical initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence: a movement of resilience, a chorus of hope, and a celebration of the values that define us as Americans. Sing Democracy 250 will unfold through four signature choral concerts across cities important to the founding of America. These cities include Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. for their foundational roles in democratic history; New York City, today’s modern cultural capital; and Minnesota, widely regarded as a leading choral center of the United States. All four concerts will be rooted in local partnerships with community voices and celebrate the beginnings of our nation through meaningful texts and musical compositions.

The concert will feature Minneapolis-based Together In Hope Choir, St. Scholastica Chamber Choir, Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble (Rochester), young singers of the Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, all led by Minneapolis conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III.

 

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About Sing Democracy 250

Sing Democracy 250 is a project of Players Philanthropy Fund, a Texas nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal Tax ID: 27-6601178, ppf.org/pp). Contributions to Sing Democracy 250 qualify as tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

 

About Together In Hope Choir

The Together InHope Choir was established in 2018. This community of 50 premier artists primarily from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area was selected through invited auditions. The choir is noted for its artistically excellent and spiritually moving performances of “music with a purpose”.

The Together In Hope Choir sings into issues of our shared humanity with new music commissioned to raise awareness and inspire action through the transformative power of music. The Choir’s first performance opened the 17th Annual International Festival of Sacred Music and Art at the Papal Basilica St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome in 2018, at the invitation of the Vatican, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Its second major project focused on refugees, immigrants and displaced person with performances of “The Stranger” at the opening of Olavsfest in Trondheim, Norway, in July 2022, followed by the U.S. premiere of this work with two concerts in St. Paul in October 2022. This project was done in partnership with USA for UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency). Nearly 900 people, half the audience at the U.S. premiere concerts, were individuals from local immigrant and refugee communities, attending as guests. Queen Sonja of Norway also attended the U.S. premiere, and most eloquently expressed the universal message of “The Stranger”: “The concert made a deep impression on me, and I hope that we will keep this in our hearts; that there is more to connect us than to divide us as human beings, no matter where we live andwho we are.” (Norwegian American, November 4, 2022)

Together In Hope Project is partnering with Sing Democracy 250 for its third major project. The Together In Hope Choir will serve as the anchor choir for the four Sing Democracy 250 Signature Concerts beginning in Philadelphia in October 2025, and continuing in Minneapolis, New York, and Washington, DC in 2026.

 

About G. Phillip Shoultz, III, Artistic Director

Known for fostering community and inspiring action among people of all ages and abilities, G. Phillip Shoultz, III enjoys a multifaceted career as artist, educator, consultant, speaker, and pastoral musician. Phillip serves as Artistic Director of Together In Hope Choir, the anchor choir for Sing Democracy 250, and will conduct the signature concerts for Sing Democracy 250 in 2025-2026. He also serves as an advisor and resource to choral leaders who will prepare performances of the Sing Democracy 250 music program in communities large and small throughout this country, as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.

Phillip is also the associate artistic director of VocalEssence, where he founded the VocalEssence Singers Of This Age, a choral apprenticeship program that harnesses the power of group singing to enhance community and awaken creativity in young people. He is Cantor for Music, Worship, and the Arts at Westwood Lutheran Church, and a member of the Graduate Music Education faculty at the University of St. Thomas. Phillip believes in the transformative power of shared singing experiences.

 

About The Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

The Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is Minnesota’s most highly regarded civic orchestral ensemble. MSO concerts have been broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio and featured on public television. The Star Tribune has described the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra as “the very model of a modern major orchestra –community style.”

The mission of the MSO is to perform outstanding symphony concerts for diverse audiences throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Thecore values are: to invite new and diverse audiences to share the power and energy of live symphony concerts in convenient neighborhood venues; to perform the full spectrum of symphonic music and encourage artistic growth in the volunteer players; and to work with host organizations to present and promote symphonic performances in various communities.