kith + kin chorus
kith + kin (def: friends and family)
Kith + Kin Chorus, an uncommon choir in the twin cities, strives to build community, spread joy and give in service of others through harmony.
All are welcome:
No matter who you voted for, your gender identity,
who you pray to or if you pray, your physical ability,
the color of your skin, the culture that knit you together,
who and how you choose to love, your age or education,
how much music theory you know, how much money you have
and on and on… You are welcome.
upcoming events
Sat July 6 • 11:30am
The Walker Art Center
Free First Saturday - Kith and Kin
Fri July 12 • 8pm
Peavey Plaza Stage
What a beautiful night of song and support!
Thanks to all who came out to our two Season 7 Finale shows
at The Cedar.
Together we raised over $22,000 for Raíces Sagradas!
Deep gratitude to The Cedar for hosting us,
all the generous silent auction donors,
Gigi's Cafe for feeding us,
Humbird for singing with us
and to St Peder's, our wonderful open-hearted rehearsal home.
Screen printed by us, your singers, at Wentworth Screen Printing.
Adorable onesies, bandanas, totes, tea towels HERE
WHO + WHY WE ARE
Kith + Kin Chorus is an uncommon community choir in the Twin Cities, open to singers of all skill levels, and 70+ singers strong. If you can match a pitch and carry a tune, you can join! Voices are the original instrument and few things are more unifying than voices, raised together in song. And in a world that so easily divides and isolates, singing in diverse community is its own act of rebellion and reimagining.
Led by founder Rachel Ries (of Her Crooked Heart), K+K Chorus aims to nurture a welcoming, joyful environment where anyone who longs to sing in a choir again (or for the first time!) can. Singers don't have to be able to read music or have theory training as songs are taught with the help of sheet music and reference recordings. The material is a wide, secular mix of classic & indie rock, pop, folk and whatever else inspires. Think: Queen, Neko Case, Björk, Yola, The Kinks.
K + K Chorus gives back to the Twin Cities community by holding a fundraising concert at the end of each season, the proceeds of which go to local organizations that strive to make our Cities better, safer, healthier places for all. Season 1 proceeds went to CAPI USA, S2 supported the work of Open Arms of Minnesota, S3 supported Spare Key, the pandemic thwarted S4 but the Season 5 finale raised over $10,000 for Women of Nations' Eagle's Nest Shelter. Incredibly, our Season 6 Finale in April 2023 raised $16,000 for Reclaim, an organization that provides affordable mental health services for queer and trans youth, ages 12-25.
INTERESTED IN JOINING?
Kith + Kin Chorus meets Monday evenings 7-9 in SE Minneapolis and seasons run roughly Oct through April. Season 8 begins in Oct 2024 and with limited space, we're launching additional community singing opportuntities. If you'd like to know more about those events, please join the mailing list above. If you'd like to put your name in for Season 8 (Fall 2024), drop a line to admin(a)kithandkinchorus.org by Aug 15, requesting your name be put in the lottery hat. Once pre-registration closes, spots are then filled by section, by lottery.
In order to become the expansive, community-representing choir we aim to be, preference is first given to singers from marginalized communities and those who haven't felt belonging in other choral settings.
Let's fill this hurting world with harmony!
WHAT A NIGHT!
Massive thanks to all who came to our sold out Season 5 Finale with jeremy messersmith. You helped us raise $10,190 to support the work of Women of Nations. How great is that!
Huge thanks to The Parkway Theater for hosting us, our fiscal sponsor The Warming House, and Amy Sunby for the lovely photographs.
This livestream snippet might not be much to look at but here's Kith + Kin as jeremy messersmith's backup choir, singing It's Only Dancing.
Rachel Ries is a fiscal year 2021 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.