Caritas Vocal Ensemble

Please join us for 
Cozy with Caritas 2025 - Draw the Circle Wide

Dec. 7, 4 pm 
New Branches Building
5011 S. 31 St. Avenue, Minneapolis, 55417

"Cozy with Caritas" is our 3rd annual, premier event for fundraising & fun! Meet and greet the singers, hear them and sing along, and play, bid or donate to help the group. Treats are on us. Caritas will be introducing its upcoming season and asking for your support at this free event! 

Register here--it helps us plan the seats and eats:

Click to Register

If you can't attend, please consider a direct donation--read on to learn where your dollars will go!
Caritas expands the possibilities of a volunteer vocal ensemble, rooting vocal music in the community and contributing meaningfully to both. Caritas creates unique and surprising concerts to benefit the community in collaboration with partners that share our values. 
As an all-volunteer, mixed-voice, a cappella chamber group, we are proud to present vocal music ranging from Samuel Barber to Monteverdi to Stevie Wonder with a level of passion and precision to rival the best ensembles around. 
What's more, Caritas is in the business of drawing ever-wider circles of community: Over nearly 25 years, our singing, combined with our audiences' generous spirits, has raised money and awareness for the work of local charitable organizations, including micro-loan funds, food shelves, affordable housing programs, children's services, and programs against human trafficking and assisting at-risk youth. 
Caritas aims to create compelling events and take our programming in fresh directions for music with impact.

Because our budget is small, every donation is vital--in fact, we still get the majority of our income for a season from this month of giving. That's how important you are to our livelihood! Your dollars will be put to good use for the essential resources we need to operate, such as

• Paying the director who is helping us raise our game and create exciting programs of wide-ranging repertoire

• Hiring collaborating musicians (it is our ongoing goal to pay all musicians a fair(er) stipend)

• Venue rental

• Website maintenance and other administrative fees

• Publicity development, advertising, and printing

• And don't forget the sheet music!!

• Click to Give!  Please use this link to give to Caritas directly.
  
  ...And we are excited to announce that we have matching funds! This year, a generous benefactor has offered Caritas a $1500 match for Cozy with Caritas--an amount we hope to increase by the date of the event on December 7! Please help us meet our match!
  
  Your contribution invests in a valuable gem of choral singing in the Twin Cities metro area. Thank you!

"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 in 2025-26?

Paolo Debuque at work

After a year's hiatus doing other things, artistic oversight is again provided by Artistic Director Paolo Debuque (<- click for bio). Paolo is making a mark on the Twin Cities choral scene with independent projects noted for their innovative programming and commitment to grassroots, community-focused performances. We are excited about the renewed focus Paolo is bringing to our artistic vision, and how that might look in future practice. 

We also welcome three new singers in 2026! 
Listen for Bob, Emily, and Logan in this year's concerts, and read up on all the singers here: https://www.caritasvocalensemble.org/singers

Join us for a concert

In 2026, we're singing two different programs of just three concerts each: A Place by the Fire coming this January, and The Bountiful Table in May. 
We maximize our impact by showcasing two special community partners, both of which work to change the life stories of at-risk youth: Cherish All Children, helping to prevent the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, and Avenues for Youth, which supports unhoused youth to help them find a way out of homelessness. 

Visit our website for event info as it becomes available:

CARITASVOCALENSEMBLE

November is a time of thankfulness, and Caritas is grateful for the support of all the donors whose generosity over the years has both kept us going and kept us looking forward to new artistic endeavors. Thank you for being a part of our journey.

Please consider using our direct link to give to Caritas and help make our 2026 concert season a success!

Click Here to Give!

Thank you!
The Singers & Board of Caritas Vocal Ensemble
caritasvocalensemble.org