Rose Ensemble

Founded in 1996 and based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, The Rose Ensemble reawakens the ancient with vocal music that strives to stir the emotions, challenge the mind and lift the spirit. Each performance illuminates centuries of rarely heard repertoire, bringing to modern audiences research from the world's manuscript libraries and fresh perspectives on history, languages, politics, religion and world cultures and traditions. With nine critically acclaimed recordings and a diverse selection of concert programs, the group has thrilled audiences across the United States and Europe with repertoire spanning 1,000 years and over 25 languages, including new research in Hawaiian, Swedish, Middle Eastern and American vocal traditions.

The recipient of the 2005 Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence and a first-place winner in the sacred music category at the 2007 Tolosa International Choral Competition (Spain), the group's concerts and recordings have been called "first class" (Neuss-Grevenbroicher Zeitung), "impassioned and brightly alive" (Choral Journal) and "engaging . .. satisfying" (Gramophone).

The Rose Ensemble can be heard regularly on American Public Media and the European Broadcasting Union (most notably with annual Christmas broadcasts) and was recently featured in special live broadcasts on Radio France, Chicago Public Radio, Vermont Public Radio and National Public Radio's Performance Today.

The last two seasons were busy for The Rose Ensemble, with numerous prestigious concert appearances in the United States and Europe, including Fabbrica del Canto (Milan), Festival Musique en Morvan (Burgundy), Festival des Choeurs Laureats in Vaison (Provence), Festival d'Ile de France (Paris), Festival de Musiques Anciennes (Tours), Dachau Castle Concerts (Germany), J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles) and Houston Early Music.

The Rose Ensemble's 15th-anniversary season highlights include appearances at Trinity Wall Street Series (NYC), University of Vermont Lane Series, Early Music Now (Milwaukee), Earlham College (Indiana), a major artist residency at Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota), and a prestigious appearance at the World Choral Symposium in Argentina (August, 2011).

The Rose Ensemble's latest recording, Il Poverello, is a diverse collection of medieval and Renaissance music for Saint Francis of Assisi.