Minnesota Orchestra to perform 2012-13 season in Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium

Downtown Minneapolis venue will be home to Orchestra while Orchestra Hall is under construction during 2012-13 season

(November 23, 2010) -- The Minnesota Orchestra will perform its 2012-13 season at the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium while Orchestra Hall is undergoing a renovation and expansion, Minnesota Orchestra President and CEO Michael Henson announced today. The Orchestra will begin offering performances at the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium in the fall of 2012 and will continue through the spring of 2013. During this time, as it goes through a major renovation, Orchestra Hall will be closed, with a grand re-opening slated for June 2013. [Editors’ note: The Orchestra’s upcoming season—the 2011-12 season—will be performed in Orchestra Hall.]

“We felt fortunate to discover the Auditorium at the Minneapolis Convention Center in our search for a ‘home away from home’ that would meet the needs of our audiences and performers,” said Michael Henson. “We investigated many options and were thrilled to identify a venue that was of a size comparable to Orchestra Hall, boasts beautiful amenities and would rework its schedule to make room for our busy season, so that the vast majority of our concerts can be performed under one roof. This was a priority for us to make concert-going as convenient as possible for audiences.”

The Minneapolis Convention Center is located at 1301 Second Avenue South, just blocks from Orchestra Hall, a location which will allow Orchestra patrons access to the same parking options and skyway connections that they have become accustomed to at Orchestra Hall. The handsomely appointed auditorium typically holds a variety of convention-related functions, from business meetings to large production events, and has hosted performances by artists including Lyle Lovett, Aretha Franklin and Jennifer Hudson.

“We believe our audiences will be very happy with this space, which many of them may not have had the opportunity to experience before,” said Henson. “We are planning a great season that incorporates our usual broad range of concert offerings.” The majority of the Orchestra’s concert season—from classical and pops concerts to holiday performances—will take place in the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium, although some Young People’s Concerts or jazz performances may be performed at other locations. For classical concerts, the Orchestra will perform in front of an acoustic shell to modify the venue’s acoustics as needed for a symphonic experience. For pops programs, the Orchestra will utilize the Auditorium’s state-of-the-art sound system. The Orchestra will continue to handle all of its own ticketing in the new venue.

“The Auditorium at the Minneapolis Convention Center is the best kept entertainment secret in Minneapolis, and we are delighted to be the temporary home for the Minnesota Orchestra during their 2012-13 season,” said Jeff Johnson, executive director, Minneapolis Convention Center. “Guests will experience world-class sound, lighting and amenities, while remaining comfortable staying in the same ‘neighborhood.’ The City of Minneapolis is thrilled to keep the Orchestra, an outstanding entertainment option, downtown.”

Orchestra Hall Renovation and Expansion
In April, the Minnesota Orchestra unveiled design schematics for the renovation of Orchestra Hall. Created by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg (KPMB) Architects, the designs call for a dramatic reinvention of the Hall’s lobby spaces, a welcoming exterior to better connect the Hall to the city outside, and a refreshed auditorium. Construction on the $45 million project is set to begin in June 2012, with a grand re-opening set for June 2013. For more information, visit http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/buildingforthefuture.

About the Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra performed its inaugural concert in November 1903, just six weeks before the Wright brothers made their first airplane flight. Now recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras, the ensemble presents nearly 200 concerts annually, heard live by 400,000 people—including more than 50,000 students who attend Young People’s Concerts. The Orchestra tours regionally, nationally and internationally, earning rave reviews in the greatest concert halls of the world, and is heard on radio stations across the country on award-winning broadcasts produced by Minnesota Public Radio and distributed nationally and internationally. It has received many awards for adventurous programming and much acclaim for its vast collection of recordings, which date back to the 1920s. Recently Vänskä and the Orchestra completed a five-disc initiative to record the complete Beethoven symphonies, described by Gramophone as “one of the finest available Beethoven symphony cycles.”

About the Convention Center
A blend of form and function, the Minneapolis Convention Center provides aesthetically pleasing and innovative solutions for a variety of conferences, trade shows and events. With nearly 480,000 square feet of trade show space, 87 column-free conference meeting rooms, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom and an auditorium with superb production and flexible technology options, the facility can handle any event from a small meeting to a large convention or trade show. More information is at www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com.

PRESS CONTACTS:
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Sandi Brown, Public Relations Coordinator
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