Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1979.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
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Who runs it and what they're paid
33 people listed on the 990; $286K paid to officers and key staff.
Philip Brunelle’s $166K as Artistic Director is at the 73rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Brunelle | $165,571 | $154,204 | $148,717 | $141,344 | $139,751 |
| Mary Ann Aufderheide | $83,066 | $159,238 | $153,794 | $147,352 | $146,693 |
| G Phillip Shoultz III | $93,443 | $92,621 | — | — | — |
| Amy Wielunski | $93,035 | $6,690 | — | — | — |
| Timothy Takach | $3,500 | — | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
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Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Champions choral music of all genres through concerts, commissions, and community programs.
Questions for Vocalessence
Your first name shows with your question. Vocalessence answers here, for everyone.
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In a season largely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, vocalessence shifted its artistic output to a virtual experience through their vocalessence on demand series. The on demand subscription included access to 8 newly-produced choral programs featuring our 32-MEMBER professional ensemble singers, our 120-VOICE volunteer chorus…
Our learning and engagement programs are focused in several key areas. Witness celebrates african american culture and music, reaching 25 schools throughout the greater twin cities metro area and engaging the vocalessence staff, singers, and 8 witness teaching artists.
Internationally recognized as a leader in choral performance and organizational management, vocalessence is engaged in other special performances and workshops throughout the year. In 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic, artistic staff created new opportunities for patrons to connect with vocalessence.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $336K | $123K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $5.0M | $7.0M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $30K | $28K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $6.1M | $8.2M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $392K | $297K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $5.7M | $7.9M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $296K | $163K | $51K | $83K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $426K | $233K | $73K | $119K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $68K | $37K | $12K | $19K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $57K | $31K | $10K | $16K |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $91K | $50K | $16K | $26K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $18K | $10K | $3K | $5K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $3K | $2K | $476 | $742 |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $7K | $4K | $1K | $2K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $51K | $30K | $8K | $13K |
| TravelLn 17 | $4K | $3K | $734 | $1K |
| InterestLn 20 | $648 | $648 | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $12K | $7K | $2K | $3K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $4K | $2K | $593 | $923 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $740K | $715K | $10K | $15K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.8M | $1.3M | $187K | $304K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $2.0M | $2.2M | −$156K | $8.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $1.8M | $2.2M | −$371K | $8.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $2.3M | $2.1M | $164K | $8.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $2.6M | $2.0M | $536K | $7.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 Viewing | $3.5M | $1.8M | $1.7M | $7.9M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,477,310 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 28 of 28 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,477,310 across 11 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,778,649 across 14 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $8,226,999 assets, 14 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $7,930,446 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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