With federal immigration agents swarming Minnesota, ICE raids, protests, counterprotests, shootings and other horrors in recent weeks, a moment of calm took place at the Cathedral of St. Paul, during a Saturday concert featuring Sir John Rutter with VocalEssence.

The English choral music legend joined the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, along with a chamber orchestra and soloists Audrey Lane-Getaz and G. Phillip Shoultz III, for an afternoon of reverberating voices inside the cathedral’s stone walls. The sold-out performance followed a sing-along event the previous day with the British composer/conductor at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.

Rutter declared “new light” as the theme for the concert. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” he said, quoting the Gospel of John, before adding, “The darkness cannot overcome it.” While not specifically referencing the recent crisis in the Twin Cities and beyond, his words certainly offered a hopeful message amid recent strife.

SMALL FILE — MAX. WIDTH FOR PRINT: 6.8 INCHES — Composer John Rutter will conduct the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers and chamber orchestra during a performance on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. (Courtesy of VocalEssence)

The composer also offered an anecdote about meeting Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, after they heard the music, noting the former royal’s noncommittal but perhaps positive response and the latter’s less enthusiastic one.

“Philip was not known for his attention span,” Rutter said.

Rutter is especially known for his original Christmas music as well as his choral arrangements of Christmas carols, and the program included some of that repertoire. He noted that, technically, the Christmas season doesn’t officially end until Candlemas on Feb. 2.

Rutter’s arrangement of “Here We Come A-Wassailing” featured a jaunty snare drum performed by percussionist Will Kemperman. Rebecca Arons handled a lovely cello solo at the beginning of Rutter’s original Christmas tune, “Carol of the Magi.” And Rutter’s “New Year,” with its resonant vowel sounds that lingered in the nave, and a warm horn part played by Allison Akins, emerged as a highlight.

Besides the seasonal music, the program spotlighted the wonder of creation, awe in nature and gratitude for music itself.

“When Music Sounds,” which VocalEssence commissioned in 2018, began with female voices of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers as well as artistic director Philip Brunelle at the piano. As harmonies later incorporated male vocal parts, the music made for a lovely tribute to the beauty of voices singing together. Rutter’s 1988 tune, “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” based on Cecil Frances Alexander’s poem, had an enticing pulse.

Rounding out the concert was the U.S. premiere of Rutter’s “I’ll Make a World,” set to a poem by James Weldon Johnson, known for writing the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” In his remarks, Rutter said his music was the first time Johnson’s “I’ll Make a World” had been set to music.

Lane-Getaz, an alto in the Ensemble Singers, and associate artistic director Shoutz performed the two solo parts, with Lane-Getaz acting as narrator and Shoutz standing in as the voice of God. With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions.

Responding to Rutter’s return to the Twin Cities, the packed cathedral gave Rutter enthusiastic applause both on first appearance and at the end of the concert. With its robust choral music community, the Twin Cities relished in the afternoon of healing music.

VocalEssence next performs for its “Witness” program during Black History Month.

VocalEssence

What: The group’s next concert is “Witness: Symphony of Spirituals.”

When: 4 p.m. Feb. 22

Where: Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis

Tickets and accessibility: Go to vocalessence.org and northrop.umn.edu/accessibility for accessibility.

Capsule: VocalEssence’s talented singers paid tribute to guest composer Sir John Rutter of Britain. For their next concert, the VocalEssence choirs will recall the civil rights movement through anthems, spirituals and more.