Kith + Kin Chorus

Kith + Kin Chorus is delighted to partner with Springboard for the Arts as our fiscal sponsor. This relationship allows us to fundraise and receive tax-deductible donations for our work and all gifts made here go directly to support the chorus.

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kith + kin (def: friends and family)

Kith + Kin Chorus – an uncommon choir in the twin cities – strives to build community, spread joy and give in service of others through harmony.

Kith + Kin Chorus is a community choir in the Twin Cities, open to singers of all skill levels, and 75 diverse voices strong. Led by founder Rachel Kay Ries (of Her Crooked Heart), K+K Chorus aims to nurture a welcoming, joyful environment where anyone who longs to sing in a choir again (or for the first time!) can.

All are welcome:
No matter who you voted for, your gender identity, who you pray to or if you pray, your physical ability, the color of your skin, the culture that knit you together, who and how you choose to love, your age or education, how much music theory you know, how much money you have and on and on… You are welcome.

Joining is lottery-based and singers aren't required to have any formal theory knowledge as songs – while challenging – are taught both with sheet music and reference recordings. The song material is a wide, secular mix of classic & indie rock, pop, folk and whatever else inspires, arranged for a choir by Rachel and a few other helping hands. Think Queen, Björk, Yola, The Kinks, jeremy messersmith, Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Neko Case...

Converting songs into tangible good:
K+K Chorus gives back to the Twin Cities community by holding a fundraising concert each year, the proceeds of which go to local organizations that strive to make our Cities better, safer, healthier places for all. Each season the choir votes for the organization they want to lift up in song.

When Rachel began the choir in 2017, she saw it as a powerful way to to sing for good, tangibly: 
• childcare so a recent refugee parent can go to language study class
• formula, clothing, a new ID for a native mother & child fleeing violence in their home
• medically-tailored food delivered to someone living with terminal illness
• utility bills covered for a family so they can stay by their child's bedside in the ICU
• affordable mental health services for queer and trans youth

Through our season finales we've been able to raise over $35,000 for local charities and non-profits! 

Singing our way through the pandemic...
When the pandemic brought our 4th season to an unceremonious halt, we found ways to keep singing through the separation and in the Fall of 2021 we began in person, navigating the strange new world of being choir.

...and on into the future:
Now at the start of our 7th Season, we're stronger than ever! This season we've added additional performances and community singing events, we're launching a monthly 'open sing', we're even scheming a kid's choir camp and we have a very special (and still secret!) collaborator planned. All of this takes quite a lot of  labor, skill, dedication, creative care and time.

With a current operating budget of $45,000, we rely on donations, dues, grants and good luck to cover rent, staffing, loads of printing, song arrangement licenses, community singing events and more. We truly could not keep doing this without the support of song-loving individuals like you!
Thank you for considering support!

Let's fill this hurting world with harmony.