Kristina from Duvemåla: An Interview with Philip Brunelle

Philip Brunelle

Richard: Can you describe the story of Kristina and why it resonates with today’s audiences?

Philip: I got to know about Kristina when I was in Stockholm conducting at the Royal Opera, and someone said, “Oh, you should meet Benny Andersson.” So I went to his house, and we had a great chat. He told me, “I’ve got this new musical that’s going to be coming out, and I’d love for you to be at the premiere.” I went to the premiere, and I was bowled over by the piece. It’s such a gorgeous piece of music, and the story is so touching.

Afterward, I said to him, “You know, Benny, I want to do this in Minnesota. But I can’t do the full staging that you’ve done; I’ll do it in a concert version.” He replied, “No, it really needs to be the whole thing.” And I said, “Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”

A week later, someone called and asked, “What’s the date of your premiere of Kristina?” I said, “Oh, we’re not able to do it.” He replied, “Well, I just was at the press conference with Benny, and he told us about it.” So I called Benny, and he said, “I changed my mind.” We ended up doing it semi-staged, with some movement, and the singers walking on and off, relating to each other.

Benny and Bjorn Ulvaeus both came to the premiere, and while they were here, Swedish television did a documentary on it that was later shown in Sweden. We performed at Orchestra Hall and also in Lindstrom, Minnesota, where Moberg, who wrote the book, was from. Ever since that time, I’ve thought, “That piece was so powerful, and people loved the music.” As the years have gone by, especially with all the talk about immigration, I thought it’s time to do this piece again.

Richard: For those attending, what can they expect, and how does this concert version differ from a full staging?

Philip: When we did the American premiere, we had to perform it in Swedish because there was no English translation. Now, there is an English version, so we’re going to do it in English. The music itself isn’t typical ABBA – it’s more like a little opera. It’s stirring and heartfelt, with a Scandinavian folk-song quality, but elevated. The concert version lets us really focus on the beauty and emotion of the music, even though it’s semi-staged.

Richard: VocalEssence first premiered Kristina in North America almost 30 years ago. What are some of your strongest memories from that premiere, and what does it mean to return to this work?

Philip: One of the most memorable aspects was that Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus came to the premiere, and Swedish television did a documentary on it. We performed at Orchestra Hall and up in Lindstrom, tying the story to its roots. Coming back to this piece now feels like coming home to an old friend. The music is still as fresh and moving as it was 30 years ago.

Gallery-Members of the VocalEssence

Richard: How does the chorus fit into telling this story, and what role do they play in this version?

Philip: The chorus takes on many roles. For example, there’s a scene when people are about to leave Sweden, and the chorus represents the folks at the harbor saying, “Oh, don’t go.” They act as congregants during a prayer meeting and later as settlers commenting on the challenges of life in Minnesota. They’re essential, adding a richness to each dramatic moment.

Richard: As the Star of the North explores sustainability this year, how do you sustain your enthusiasm and creativity throughout your career?

Philip: Sustainability comes from being inquisitive. There’s always another door to open, another piece of music to discover, or an opportunity to collaborate. For example, when I first started VocalEssence, I thought, “Why not reach out to the greatest composers?” So, I picked up the phone and called Aaron Copland. I said, “Hi, would you come and conduct your choral music?” He responded, “Young man, no one has ever asked me to do that. I would love to.” And just like that, we had Aaron Copland. I’ve reached out to many composers over the years, and they’ve always been excited to have their music performed.

Another example is James MacMillan, who’s coming to Minnesota this year. Instead of just having VocalEssence perform his works, I reached out to seven Twin City churches to prepare his anthems. Then I asked him, “Would you like to write a new piece for all seven choirs?” He said, “Yes.” So, we’ll end the concert with his new motet. It’s about making connections and asking, “Why not?” That’s what keeps things fresh and ensures we’re always moving forward.

Richard: That’s fantastic. It’s evident how much you care about fostering these connections. Finally, when is the performance, and how can people get tickets?

Philip: The concert is on October 26th at 4 p.m. at Bethel University. If people want tickets, they can go to https://www.vocalessence.org/event/concert-the-concert-version-of-the-musical-kristina/

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Philip Brunelle

Philip Brunelle, artistic director and founder of VocalEssence, is an internationally renowned conductor, choral scholar and visionary. He has made his lifelong mission the promotion of the choral art in all its forms, especially rarely heard works of the past and outstanding new music. Under his leadership, VocalEssence has commissioned more than 300 works to date. Philip has conducted symphonies (New York Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and Minnesota Orchestra among others) as well as choral festivals and operas on six continents. He is editor of two choral series for Boosey & Hawkes and chairman of the review committee for Walton Music. Philip is also Organist-Choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.

For two decades Philip was deeply involved with the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM). He served as president of the Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music, held in Minneapolis in 2002. He was a Vice President of the IFCM Board and served as Executive Director for the 2014 World Symposium on Choral Music in Seoul, South Korea. Philip served as Artistic Advisor for the 2017 World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain and later that summer was Artistic Director of the 2017 China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Choral Festival in Kaili, China. He also served on the national boards of the National Council for the Arts (NEA), Chorus America, the American Composers Forum and the American Guild of Organists.

For more than 40 years he served as a guest conductor and pianist on American Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, appearing on the very first and the final broadcasts and many in between. Since January 1982 he has written “Choral Old and New”, a column for The American Organist. This year, 2021, he celebrated his 52nd anniversary with VocalEssence and at Plymouth Church and looks forward to his 53rd  season with both organizations. In 2020 he was awarded The American Prize in Choral Conducting in the community division and was presented with the Honorary Member Award by the Society for American Music.

Philip is the recipient of the Weston H. Noble Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the North Central American Choral Directors Association; the F. Melius Christiansen Lifetime Achievement Award, American Choral Directors Association-Minnesota Chapter’s highest honor; and the Michael Korn Founder’s Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art, Chorus America’s highest lifetime achievement award.

Philip holds five honorary doctorates and has been recognized for his commitment to choral music by Norway (Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit), the United Kingdom (Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire), Hungary (Kodály Medal), Sweden (Royal Order of the Polar Star) and Mexico (Ohtli Recognition Award).