Orchestra Hall History
For more than a century, the Minnesota Orchestra has been enriching the state through the undeniable power of music. Walk through our timeline and enjoy some of our proudest Orchestra Hall moments throughout the years.
 |
1973 Groundbreaking for Orchestra Hall—with a downbeat by Music Director Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. |
 |
1974 Skrowaczewski onstage as the hall nears completion. |
 |
1974 Orchestra Hall opens—thrilling local audiences and winning kudos around the world. |
 |
1974 Coffee Concerts are launched, treating daytime patrons to a new experience. |
 |
1974 Students attend Orchestra Hall’s first Young People’s Concerts, which the Orchestra has offered every year since 1911. |
 |
1978 The Cabaret Pops series is a hit—with Broadway tunes and table service. |
 |
1979 Neville Marriner takes the podium as the Orchestra’s seventh music director. |
 |
1980 Sommerfest is born, charming audiences indoors and out. |
 |
1982 A WAMSO Kinder Konzert—perfect for budding percussionists! |
 |
1986 The Orchestra’s eighth music director arrives: Edo de Waart. |
 |
1986 The Grand Piano Extravaganza is a favorite Sommerfest event. |
 |
1993 Doc Severinsen dazzles in his new role as principal pops conductor. |
 |
1994 Concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis works with John Adams before premiering a major new work—his Violin Concerto. |
 |
1995 Eiji Oue becomes the Orchestra’s ninth music director. |
 |
2000 Thousands turn out for the first annual Day of Music. |
 |
2001 The Orchestra presents “Elegy” as a memorial to those lost on September 11. |
 |
2003 Launching his tenure as the Orchestra’s tenth music director, Osmo Vänskä leads the celebratory 100th Anniversary Concert. |
 |
2005 A new look for Orchestra Hall— “wrapped” with images of Osmo, Orchestra musicians and audience members. |
 |
2007 The Orchestra’s Beethoven Ninth recording is nominated for a Grammy Award. |
 |
2009 Sarah Hicks shines as the Orchestra’s new principal conductor of pops and presentations. |
 |
2010 Performances of Sibelius’ Kullervo wow Minneapolis audiences and Carnegie Hall Concert draws raves in New York City. |
 |
2012 With renovations to Orchestra Hall beginning in June 2012, the Orchestra will perform in the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium during the 2012-13 season. |
 |
2013 Watch for the grand reopening of Orchestra Hall in summer 2013! |