April 12
Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci

South Metro Chorale, Singers in Accord, Kantorei, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, will present an unforgettable multimedia concert experience created by local composer Jocelyn Hagen and conducted by renowned conductor, Kathy Saltzman Romey.<br /><br /> Utilizing the latest in video syncing technology, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are brought to life through his words and drawings, created for SATB choir, full orchestra, and video projections. Hagen has designed the work so that the music serves as the foundation for the film instead of it functioning as purely a supporting musical soundtrack.

Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church
3611 N Berens Rd NW, Prior Lake, MN 55379
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 4 p.m.

Apr 12 Tickets

Order online, or purchase tickets at the door.

Who We Are

SMC is a community choir serving the south suburban communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The chorale provides a broad spectrum of experiences and repertoire, including accompanied and a cappella music of the great masters, as well as works from contemporary and local composers, American folk music and African American spirituals. Jazz, Broadway, and popular arrangements are also presented at our annual "Cabaret" fundraiser.

Mission

At South Metro Chorale, our mission is to achieve excellence in the performance of classical and contemporary choral music for our community. We accomplish this through outreach programs and concerts that provide entertaining and enriching experiences to both audiences and chorus members.

SMC 2024-2025 Concert Season

December 8 The Sacred Harp

The Sacred Harp

Music by Alice Parker, Benjamin Britten, and Margaret Burk. Featuring Sarah Grudem, Harp.

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
3930 Rahn Rd, Eagan, MN 55122
Sunday, December 8, 2024, 3 p.m. Ticket price: $20/Students free/$10 Streaming ticket

Dec 8 Tickets

Order online, or purchase tickets at the door.

March 1 & 2 Cabaret - British Invasion

Cabaret - British Invasion

The South Metro Chorale is back with its annual cabaret. This year’s theme is “British Invasion!” Your toes will be tappin’ to some of the best music ever written by bands and artists from across the pond. Come up to one hour before the show to bid on silent auction items and enjoy some light refreshments. We’ll be chuffed to see you there, and don’t forget to bring a few shillings for the 50/50 raffle! Pip pip cheerio!

Lakeville Area Arts Center
20965 Holyoke Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044
Saturday, March 1, 2025, 7:30 p.m. Ticket price: $20

Mar 1 Tickets

Purchase tickets online or by calling 952-985-4640. Tickets may be available at the door.

Lakeville Area Arts Center
20965 Holyoke Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044
Sunday, March 2, 2025, 3 p.m. Ticket price: $20

Mar 2 Tickets

Purchase tickets online or by calling 952-985-4640. Tickets may be available at the door.

April 12 Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci

Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci

South Metro Chorale, Singers in Accord, Kantorei, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, will present an unforgettable multimedia concert experience created by local composer Jocelyn Hagen and conducted by renowned conductor, Kathy Saltzman Romey.

Utilizing the latest in video syncing technology, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are brought to life through his words and drawings, created for SATB choir, full orchestra, and video projections. Hagen has designed the work so that the music serves as the foundation for the film instead of it functioning as purely a supporting musical soundtrack.

Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church
3611 N Berens Rd NW, Prior Lake, MN 55379
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 4 p.m.

Apr 12 Tickets

Order online, or purchase tickets at the door.

Become a community partner with a contribution!

$600 and above	Benefactor	Full-page ad (4.9 x 7.6")
$300 - $599	Sponsor	Half-page ad (4.9 x 3.8")
$150 - $299	Patron	Quarter-page ad (4.9 x 1.9")
$60 - $149	Donor	Program Acknowledgement
$30 - $59	Friend of SMC	Program Acknowledgement

DONATE

The South Metro Chorale is a certified non-profit organization. All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible.

You can donate online (using the donation link on the left) or by check. Checks may be made payable to South Metro Chorale and sent to: c/o SMC Treasurer, 15315 Wilderness Ridge Rd NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372.

If you are interested in this partnership, or if you love to sing and have any questions about the choir, please email us at admin@southmetrochorale.org.

Auditions

Dear Singers,

Thank you for your interest in South Metro Chorale. Auditions can be arranged by contacting director Christiana Howell at southmetrochorale@gmail.com.

Our rehearsals are held on Tuesdays from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Glendale United Methodist Church in Savage.

Our typical season consists of a series of holiday concerts in December and a themed concert the beginning of May. We also have two "Cabaret" concerts the first weekend in March.

Artistic Staff

Christiana Howell - Artistic Director

Christiana Howell is a conductor and singer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is currently working towards a Doctorate in Choral Conducting at the University of Minnesota, and co-conducts the Campus Singers and Women's Chorus. She has directed school, university and community choirs in Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Cambridge (UK), and Brighton (UK). She holds degrees from Slippery Rock University (PA), Shenandoah University (VA), and the University of Cambridge (UK). Most recently, she was the Upper School Choral Director at the Blake School in Minneapolis. An active singer, she currently sings with the Minnesota Renaissance Choir and St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral Choir. Christiana also directs the Vista Lutheran Church choir in St. Louis Park. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, running, skiing, (indoor) rock climbing, and investigating the many outstanding breweries in the Twin Cities.

Dan Wanamaker - Assistant Director/Accompanist

Dan Wanamaker is a Minneapolis-based pianist and singer. He is very excited to work with the South Metro Chorale! In 2022 he graduated from Minnesota State University-Mankato with a Master's in Piano Performance. He served as Graduate Assistant at MSU, where he accompanied for the Concert Choir and voice studios. Prior to 2020, Dan accompanied for the Menomonie Singers and the Apollo Male Chorus. He is a choir section leader at St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis. He has sung with the choir of St Clement's Episcopal Church in St Paul and the Cathedral of St Paul. Other choral engagements include the Minnesota Renaissance Choir, Aliro Voices, the Summer Singers, and Apollo Master Chorale. Dan enjoys learning new languages, strong air conditioning, and composing fugues.

Former Artistic Directors:

Mark Bilyeu	Fall 2018 - Spring 2022
Richard Carrick	Fall 2015 - Spring 2018
Russell Adrian	Fall 2012 - Spring 2015
Tim Malone	Spring 2011 - Spring 2012

Loren Squires - Founding Director Emeritus

Loren retired from active directing in December 2010 after leading SMC for 13 years. Loren received his B.M.E. from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and his M.M.E. at MacPhail College of Music. He taught public school music education for 39 years, the last 35 at Burnsville High School. He was formerly Assistant Director of the Bach Society Chorus and a member of the Minnesota Chorale. Loren has also directed choirs at five area churches and was a professor of music at North Central University.

Cabaret Impressions

Thank you to all who attended our 2019 Cabaret: Movie Magic
2019 Cabaret - Photos from the Dress Rehearsal

South Metro Chorale Tours

Earth Song: Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Ireland

2015 - SMC in Ireland

South Metro Chorale toured Ireland August 6-14. We flew to Dublin, immediately departing on the bus to visit the Rock of Cashel and the Jameson Distillery before settling in our hotel in Cork. In the next days we visited the Blarney Castle where we all kissed the famous Blarney Stone, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, the cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Galway, Connemara, and back to Dublin. The Guiness Brewery tour in Dublin was great. We all enjoyed live Irish music in pubs in every town we visited and had some great food: Irish stew, seafood chowder, soups served with sweet brown bread, fish and seafood - wonderful! We performed in some lovely venues, including St. Multose in Kinsale, St. Mary's in Killarney, the Gothic Church on the grounds of Kylemore Abbey in the Connemara countryside, St. Columba in Ennis, and our final performance in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

August 2010: SMC in Dubrovnik, Croatia

South Metro Chorale toured Croatia and Austria October 8-18. We flew to Dubrovnik, touring the historic walled city on the sea, and performing at St. Blaise Church. After the concert we experienced our first of many instances of Croation hospitality, with a concert guest inviting our entire group out to a local restaurant. Our next stop was Split, where we explored Diocletian's Palace and sang at St. Catherine's Dominican Church. We traveled up the coast to our last stop in Croatia (Rijeka) where we toured Trsat Castle and sang at St. Vitus Cathedral. Our next stop was Graz, Austria, where we sang a joint concert with the "Grazer Schubertbund" and were hosted by choir families. We ended the tour in Eberschwang, Austria, where we stayed with families from the "Chorgemeinschaft Eberschwang" and performed at St. Michael's Church.

2005: Poland, The Czech Republic and Austria

South Metro Chorale toured Poland, The Czech Republic and Austria. The tour started with an appearance at Wadovice at the Cathedral where Pope John Paul II served as an altar boy and later was ordained a Priest. We sang at the Mass celebrating that ordination and a concert after. The choir sang at St Katarina Church in Krakow the following evening. The choir traveled to Prague where they sang a concert at St Nicholas Cathedral in St Wensaslas Square and the next day a joint concert with the Netherlands choir, "Sjanton" and the Prague choir "Hlahol". The choir then traveled to the beautiful town of Cesky Krumlov for an evening concert. The choir ended their tour with two days of home stays in Eberschwang, Austria where we had a very special concert, Mass on Sunday, lots food and a great end of tour party.