Grammy Award-winning vocal group Tonic Sol-fa will present its holiday show "I Still Believe" at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at Tornstrom Auditorium in Brainerd.
The show is part of the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center's Cultural Arts Series.
Tonic Sol-fa has established itself not only as the most in-demand vocal group in the Midwest, but also one of the most successful independent acts in America, organizers said in a news release. With sales of more than two million copies of their 10 CDs, the group has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. They perform 100 concerts a year across 48 states to a combined audience of more than 250,000 people. "I Still Believe" is part of a sold-out 25 city holiday tour in the Midwest.
Tonic Sol-fa began at St. John's University in central Minnesota and includes lead vocalist Shaun Johnson; tenor and vocal percussionist Greg Bannwarth; and bass Jared Dove. Together the group reached national prominence with appearances on NBC's Today Show and in Newsweek magazine.
Along the way, they shared the stage with a number of recognizable performers including Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy and Lonestar, and were recently part of Garrison Keillor's 30th Anniversary celebration of A Prairie Home Companion.
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The group has three PBS television specials: "Christmas," "If I Dream" and "Greatest Time of Year."
Tonic Sol-fa currently is in the studio recording their latest album, entitled "Original," a new recording in a catalog of numerous award-winning DVD and CD projects highlighting three indelible voices. This blend has resulted in multiple contemporary a cappella recording awards, National Association of Collegiate Activities' Entertainer of the Year nominations, considerable national press and has landed their music on the best-selling seasonal DVD at Wal-Mart, "The 12 Dogs of Christmas."
Tonic Sol-fa released their third television holiday special in 2010, which aired more than 1,800 times in 47 states and Canada. The new PBS special will be shown through 2015, continuing to spread Tonic Sol-fa's sound to an ever-growing audience.
In late 2010, Tonic Sol-fa won its first Emmy in the "Musical Composition/Arrangement" category for a song performed in a Toys for Tots' Public Service Announcement. The group recently won two Independent Grammys for Best Original Holiday Song and Best Pop Song out of 650,000 entries worldwide. Tonic Sol-fa's original songs, arrangements and albums have won numerous contemporary a cappella awards for best pop album, gospel song and Christmas original, have been featured on television and in movies and have garnered numerous positive national reviews. The group's original holiday song "Sno" is featured on the "12 Dogs of Christmas."
Philanthropic efforts include collaborations with Be the Match foundation and the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" effort, contributions to breast cancer research for every pre-ordered copy of "Boston to Beijing," radio drive appearances for Gillette Children's Hospital, Music in the Schools Fundraisers and Master Classes, American Red Cross Disaster Relief and numerous other charities.
The group has performed the "Star Spangled Banner" for national Republican and Democratic events, former presidents, the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago Bears, the New York Mets, the National 4th of July Celebration at Mount Rushmore, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx and the Saint Paul Saints.
Tonic Sol-fa was inducted into the Midwest Music Hall of Fame and voted by Campus Activities Magazine as "One of the top five 'MUST SEE' groups in America."
The New York Times described Tonic Sol-fa's sound as "A vocal kaleidoscope ... unique to the human voice."
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Tickets for Tonic Sol-fa's holiday show are available online at www.clcmn.edu/arts or from the CLC Box Office at 218-855-8199.
The performance is sponsored by Essentia Health. The entire season is made possible in part by an operating grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board as part of the Legacy Amendment.
