Founded in 1996 and based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, The Rose Ensemble performs vocal music that strives to stir the emotions, challenge the mind, and lift the spirit. Each performance illuminates centuries of rarely heard repertoire, bringing to modern audiences research from the world’s manuscript libraries and fresh perspectives on history, languages, politics, religion and world cultures and traditions. With nine critically acclaimed recordings and a diverse selection of concert programs, the group has thrilled audiences across the United States and Europe with repertoire spanning 1,000 years and over 25 languages, including new research in Hawaiian, Swedish, Middle Eastern and American vocal traditions.

The Rose Ensemble is the recipient of the 2005 Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, first prize winner in both sacred and secular music categories at the 2012 Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain (part of the European Choral Grand Prix). The group’s concerts and recordings have been called “first class” (Neuss-Grevenbroicher Zeitung), “impassioned and brightly alive” (Choral Journal) and “engaging . .. satisfying” (Gramophone). Founder Jordan Sramek received the 2010 Louis Botto Award from Chorus America “for entrepreneurial zeal.”

The Rose Ensemble can be heard regularly on American Public Media and the European Broadcasting Union (most notably with annual Christmas broadcasts) and was recently featured in special live broadcasts on Radio France, Chicago Public Radio, Vermont Public Radio, and National Public Radio’s Performance Today.

The Rose Ensemble’s recent performance highlights include appearances at Certamen Coral de Tolosa (Tolosa Choral Contest, Spain), Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Chicago, IL), Willamette University (Salem, OR), Broadway Center for the Performing Arts (Tacoma, WA), Philharmonic Center for the Arts (Naples, FL), Early Music Now (Milwaukee, WI), and the Festival de Chiquitos (Bolivia).

The Ensemble has released 10 recordings to date.