Caritas Vocal Ensemble

Thank you for supporting Caritas Vocal Ensemble's future of 
giving through song!
Your donation really matters! 

Matching donation!
Caritas is excited to announce that we have received $2,000 in matching funds for 2023. Will you consider partnering with us this year?
Read below to find out how your contribution can help!

Why Caritas?
Caritas Vocal Ensemble was founded in 2002 for the purpose of raising money and awareness for people in need. Caritas translates to "sacrificial love," which we further interpret as "love in action." Through singing, our action combined with our audiences' generous giving has raised over $200,000 for local charitable organizations, including micro-loan funds, food shelves, affordable housing programs, children's services, and programs against human trafficking and for at-risk youth.

Even against the backdrop of the Twin Cities’ rich choral landscape, Caritas has distinguished itself for its quality and breadth of musical repertoire. As an all-volunteer mixed chamber ensemble, we are proud to present music ranging from Samuel Barber to Monteverdi to Stevie Wonder (and everything in between!) with a level of passion and precision to rival the best ensembles around.

Your contribution not only benefits the many worthy organizations we partner with, but also invests in a valuable gem of choral singing in the Twin Cities metro area.

"Your collective sound seems to grow finer each year, and your dedication to the causes you sing for more deeply felt."
-A Caritas benefiting organization

Caritas on YouTube

What's new?
Caritas is back this year better than ever with exciting news to share!                 

Introducing Artistic Director Paolo Debuque

Artistic Director
Paolo Debuque at work

This season, we are thrilled to welcome Artistic Director Paolo Debuque to Caritas. Paolo is a Filipino/Chinese-American conductor and choral artist who’s already making a mark on the Twin Cities choral scene. In addition to leading Caritas, Paolo holds artistic positions across the Twin Cities, including Chorus Master of the Dakota Valley Symphony, Chancel Choir Director at Good Samaritan UMC, Section Leader and Guest Conductor for the Bridges Project of the Minnesota Chorale, and Ensemble Member of Border CrosSing.

Paolo's independent projects are noted for their innovative programming and commitment to grassroots, community-centered art. These include "A Thousand Tongues," a collaborative concert of music and reflections on the AAPI experience, "Path to Peace," a week-long choral festival for gun violence prevention, and Homespun, a community-rooted, professional chamber ensemble.

A Minnesota native, Paolo holds a B.A from Swarthmore College and an M.M. in Choral Conducting from the Univeristy of Michigan. Caritas is already benefiting from Paolo’s skills as a singer, pianist, and conductor. With him, we are excited about the higher level of vocal production, repertoire, and musicality we are reaching and the renewed focus he brings to our community-centered artistic vision. 

Join us at a concert in 2024 to hear what all the excitement is about! 
2024's benefitting organizations include TRUST Inc., Cherish All Children, Avenues for Youth, and Salem Lutheran Community Meal program. 
Visit our website soon to learn about our 2024 theme of love: gained and lost, experienced and unrequited, in all its facets.
The spring concert calendar is in the works!

CARITASVOCALENSEMBLE.ORG

Why give?
Friends of Caritas have generously offered to match 2023 Give to the Max donations up to $2,000, and we are working to secure more support. Although our operating expenses are small, they must be covered for our group to continue--we do not charge for entry to our concerts, and donating to our benefiting organizations is optional. Please partner with us: every cent counts! We will use your gifts to pay Paolo, purchase music, maintain our website, and print brochures, programs and posters, but through more creative programming, we also want to expand the group's reach to new audiences. 

We couldn't have accomplished 20+ years of concerts without the support of all our donors, and we are excited to see what this new chapter of Caritas will bring! 
Thank you for contributing to Caritas Vocal Ensemble to help fund the group's plans for fresh concert ideas, and endless giving through song.

The Singers & Board of 
Caritas Vocal Ensemble
caritasvocalensemble.org