For Jerry Rubino, singing is about building community and sharing your voice with others. Rubino has been teaching voice and piano through the MacPhail Music for Life Program™ for 15 years. He also directs the MacPhail Chamber Choir and Voices of Experience Choir, both supported through a collaboration with the Minnesota Chorale.
Why join the MacPhail Chamber Choir?
The ensemble brings together MacPhail students and singers from the Minnesota Chorale, pairing experienced professional choral musicians with students developing their skills through MacPhail classes and private lessons.
Rubino sees the ensemble as a natural next step for many voice students.
“There are a lot of people who take voice lessons here who aren’t doing anything with them except taking their voice lessons,” he says. “What a perfect thing to use the skills you’re learning in your voice lesson in a choir.”
From Mozart to Broadway
One of the things Rubino loves most about directing the Chamber Choir is the opportunity to explore a wide range of repertoire. In its first two years, the ensemble has performed traditional choral repertoire, including Mozart, as well as familiar songs such as “Danny Boy.” Rubino’s musical interests extend well beyond the traditional choral canon. He has a longtime passion for pop and jazz and enjoys bringing those styles into the rehearsal room.
That variety is intentional. Rubino wants singers to encounter music they recognize alongside music that challenges them to listen, learn and grow.
What happens in a Chamber Choir rehearsal?
A typical Chamber Choir session combines focused musical work with a strong sense of camaraderie. The goal isn’t simply to assemble a flawless concert program; it’s to make the rehearsal process itself a meaningful musical experience.
The fall session includes 12 meetings: 11 rehearsals followed by a performance in MacPhail’s Antonello Hall. Rubino typically begins with several pieces and lets the repertoire develop as the group progresses.
“I want people to feel like it was worth their time to spend Tuesday night here,” he says. “I want them to feel like they are really going home a good tired and feeling like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m so glad I took this class.’”
Click here to learn more and register for the MacPhail Chamber Choir.