THE STORY OF I CANTANTI

I Cantanti (50 mixed voices) and Le Donne (32 women’s voices) are chamber choirs based in Northfield. The organization was founded by Wayne Kivell in 1988 and began with just a mixed-voice chamber choir of 36 voices. Due to the interest of more women than could be accommodated in the mixed choir, the women’s choir, Le Donne, began in 2005. Almost all of the sopranos and altos in the mixed choir also sing in the women’s ensemble. To maintain quality and balance, membership in both choirs is by audition. We are proud to have grown both ensembles remarkably over the past few years, and over 200 adults have sung with one or both of the ensembles.

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I Cantanti prepares two or three concert programs per year, meeting from September through April. Although focusing primarily on classical choral literature spanning from the Renaissance to Contemporary works, the ensembles have also presented concerts of folk, Broadway, opera, and jazz styles. I Cantanti collaborates with other vocal and instrumental ensembles in concert. Past ensembles have been String Fever (a bluegrass band), Carleton College Choir, Minnesota Valley Men’s Chorale, Nova Cantabile, Northfield High School Choir, the Edina Chorale, several local church choirs, and the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra. In 2004, I Cantanti was the only American choir invited to Italy to participate in a festival of choirs from around Europe. Both I Cantanti (1996) and Le Donne (2005 and 2012) have been invited to appear at state conferences of the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota. Since 2023, the ensembles have also been heard on Minnesota Public Radio and on the local stations KDHL in Faribault and KYMN in Northfield.

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Since the founding of I Cantanti, we have built a loyal audience. In addition to Northfield, concerts have been held in Owatonna, Faribault, New Prague, Eagan, Golden Valley, and Cannon Falls. As a result of this outreach, we are proud to have members from these communities and other local areas who are currently singing or have performed with one or both of the ensembles. The purpose of I Cantanti Chamber Choirs has always been to provide high-quality, authentic performances of choral music across all styles. Our goal is to provide a professional experience in an amateur setting for talented singers in our local area. We are thankful for our audiences and sponsors, whose continued support and generosity help both choirs thrive. Because of your commitment, everyone has the opportunity to participate in something that brings them joy.