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Collaboration Spotlights

What is the most successful aspect of the project?
Minnesota Chorale and Border CrosSing
Submitted by: Kathy Saltzman Romey and “Expanding the Canon” has enabled the Minnesota
Ahmed Anzaldúa Chorale, Border CrosSing, and local audiences to ex-
Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota perience the leadership and expertise of dynamic con-
mnchorale.org, bordercrossingmn.org ductors of color from across the country. The project
promotes greater equity and inclusion in the field of
Program or Project Title: choral music, and redefines our experience of the cho-
Bridges/Puentes: Expanding the Canon Series ral canon through innovative programming, which up-

lifts the work of marginalized composers and perform-
ers.
The primary beneficiaries are the host organiza-
tions, their singers, and artistic staffs. The series pro-
vides the choirs with exposure to new repertoire and
concert experiences of high artistic merit amplify-
ing underrepresented voices, equity and inclusion, and
socially-relevant issues. The program also offers the
opportunity to work with skilled BIPOC conductors
whose knowledge and insight have a lasting impact on
future programming, audience cultivation, and com-
munity engagement.
The combined audiences of both organizations also
benefit from this series, as do participants in civic work-
shops and educational activity. Just as the two choirs
The Minnesota Chorale and Border CrosSing are eager to learn from guest conductors and their pro-
launched a collaborative, annual series in 2021 titled gramming, audiences are also excited to engage with
“Expanding the Canon,” curated and led by national- new music and composers, and grow through their
ly-recognized BIPOC conductors. Each program seeks concert experiences with each of the conductors. We
to re-imagine and explore the modern-day relevance have long believed that while the canon of classical mu-
of works from the choral canon. A ten-day artist resi- sic is broad, we are all diminished as long as its scope
dency provides the two professional choirs with the is limited. The creative energy of juxtaposing works
opportunity to collaborate with conductors noted for from that canon with music by composers unfamiliar to
their commitment to innovative programming, social our choirs and audiences expands our collective think-
justice advocacy, and community building. The Twin ing and provides the foundation for deeper systemic
Cities series is intended to broaden the scope of reper- change.
toire presented by both ensembles during the concert
season. Each of the guest conductors is deeply invested What is the collaborative element of your project?
in the education of the next generation, and commit-
ted to creating opportunities for people to experience “Expanding the Canon” builds on collaborations
choral music as a way of building community while between the two project partners dating back to the
breaking down societal and cultural barriers. Collec- founding of Border CrosSing in 2017 and is presented
tively, they represent leaders of the full panorama of under the Minnesota Chorale engagement program
choral ensembles, from academic and church-based Bridges and Border CrosSing program Puentes. As in-
choirs to community and professional choruses. dependent and allied organizations, the two choirs have
partnered in concerts of traditional and contemporary

72 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2024 Volume 65 Number 3