Summer has given way to fall, and we've begun rehearsing the initial programs of the Minnesota Chorale's 2009-10 season - a season in which our educational activities and community collaborations take center stage.

Our first performance of the season is Carl Orff's unstoppable Carmina Burana, presented by the Minnesota Dance Theatre. This multimedia Carmina was a runaway hit when we did it a few years ago, and we're expecting seats to go fast. Performances are November 5-8 at the Lab Theater in the Minneapolis Warehouse District; call 612.333.7977 for tickets.

There's much more, including our December Messiah performances with the Minnesota Orchestra. Click the link below for all the details.

We're already rehearsing music for this year's Bridges community-engagement concert, Sing with Me, which spotlights the mentoring relationships that have blossomed between members of our Minneapolis Youth Chorus and adult singers in the Chorale. Mounted in collaboration with the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota, the program is set for Saturday evening, November 21, at St. Olaf Catholic Church in downtown Minneapolis. For tickets, call Ticketworks at 952-930-5100, or click here.

The Minneapolis Youth Chorus, now in its third season, is busier than ever: the fall schedule includes recording sessions for its first CD and the "Sing with Me" concert with the Chorale in November. Next spring features a performance of Carmina Burana with the Chorale and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

It all leads up to next June when MYC travels to Chicago, as one of six choirs from across the U.S.A. invited to participate in the Windy City Youth Choral Festival.

Thanks to your generosity, the Chorale ended its 2009 fiscal year in the black. For most nonprofits, including the Chorale, fiscal 2010 promises to be even more challenging than 2009. As we do our work in a cost-effective and thrifty way (more than 80% of the Chorale's operating expenses are devoted to our artistic and educational endeavors), we're counting on you to renew your support. To contribute to the Chorale, call 612.455.2100 or click here to make a secure online donation. Donations are, as always, tax-deductible.