Tuesday June 6, 2023
Artist Lineup Announced for International Day of Music, the Minnesota Orchestra’s Free, All-Day Music Marathon on July 15
Held on stages inside and outside Orchestra Hall, the free 12-hour International Day of Music takes place on the opening weekend of Summer at Orchestra Hall
Musical artists include Miloe, Alma Andina, Bluedog, the Cuban American Youth Orchestra and Meridian Movement Co; the Minnesota Orchestra will perform on Peavey Plaza at 8:30 p.m.
Programmed by Artist in Residence BRKFST Dance Company, the “Music in Motion Stage” will feature performances by dance groups throughout the day; the “Global Grooves Stage” will be programmed by The Cedar Cultural Center
For a complete listing of activities, please see the schedule at the end of this release
The Minnesota Orchestra’s International Day of Music returns on Saturday, July 15, with musical and dance performances taking place in and around Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis from noon to midnight. Celebrating many genres of music for all ages and showcasing the talents of Twin Cities-based artists, Day of Music features more than 25 musical and movement-based acts and ensembles presenting simultaneously across four indoor and outdoor stages. Performances are free to the public, with no tickets or reservations required. A variety of food trucks will be present throughout the day.
At 8:30 p.m., conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin will lead the full Orchestra in an outdoor performance on Peavey Plaza. Hosted by Jon Kimura Parker, the creative partner for Summer at Orchestra Hall, the program features classical favorites, film music and patriotic tunes, from William Grant Still’s Festive Overture to John Williams’ Theme from Jurassic Park. Coordinated in partnership with City of Bells, the concert’s finale will include the peeling of bells at four local churches, including Central Lutheran Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Basilica of St. Mary and St. Olaf Catholic Church. In connection with this dramatic spotlighting of downtown bells, carillonneur Keiran Cantilina will offer a 6 p.m. concert at Central Lutheran Church, located just a few blocks from Orchestra Hall.
“The International Day of Music is a chance to celebrate everything that’s wonderful about summers in the Twin Cities, while also bringing attention to the incredible artistic talent that live and work here throughout the year,” says Grant Meachum, director of Live at Orchestra Hall. “We are thrilled to again partner with The Cedar Cultural Center, City of Bells and Artist in Residence BRKFST Dance Company to bring all types of music and dance into a special day for our community.”
The July 15 event is part of the opening weekend for the Minnesota Orchestra’s month-long Summer at Orchestra Hall season. In 2022, the summer festival drew more than 25,000 concertgoers to downtown Minneapolis. Curated by Creative Partner Jon Kimura Parker, this year’s programming has the theme “Music in Motion.”
International Day of Music Artists
Programmed by The Cedar Cultural Center, the Global Grooves Stage will be located on the corner of 11th Street South and Marquette Avenue. Performances will start at 12:30 p.m. with Doula Soul Collective, followed by the sounds of Eastern European Jewish party music with Di Bayke Klezmer Band; Hmong singer and rapper Cydi Yang; the genre-crossing, Native-led Bluedog; and Alma Andina, who combine traditional instruments from Latin America with contemporary rhythms.
Programmed by BRKFST Dance Company and situated at Peavey Plaza, the Music in Motion Stage will include dance performances from contemporary choreographers Amanda Sachs and Elena Hollenhorst; Slo Dance Company, a group that “finds its footing in…slowness”; West African-based movement ensemble Duniya Drum and Dance; the highly energetic MNKrump; and hip-hop collective Meridian Movement Co. Performers from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre will interact with audiences on Peavey Plaza in the evening.
Activities in Orchestra Hall’s Target Atrium begin at 10:00 a.m. with a special presentation from Children’s Theatre Company; then, at 11:45 a.m., a guided meditation session with handbell accompaniment will be offered. In the afternoon, small ensembles of Minnesota Orchestra musicians will perform chamber music selections from composers Bohuslav Martinů, Mykola Lysenko and Claude Debussy; Celtic dance music from Dick Hensold and Patsy O’Brien follows. Later, a screening will be held of the Emmy Award-winning This Is Minnesota Orchestra broadcast of the Orchestra’s April 2022 concert with Cloud Cult; pianist and singer-songwriter Luke Turner will conclude activities in the Target Atrium.
Youth ensembles will headline Orchestra Hall’s auditorium. The afternoon begins with a showcase of student performers from St. Paul’s Walker | West Music Academy; later, the Cuban American Youth Orchestra (CAYO)—a group that was founded by clarinetist Rena Kraut in the wake of the Minnesota Orchestra’s 2015 tour to Cuba—will take the stage. Between the Walker | West and CAYO programs, musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra will perform chamber works with Jon Kimura Parker on piano.
Minnesota-based indie-pop star Miloe will culminate the 2023 International Day of Music with his performance with The Kabeyas on the Orchestra Hall stage at 10:30 p.m. Before Miloe performs, a dance showcase will take place in the Hall’s lobby, featuring DJ Carnage the Executioner and BRKFST Dance Company, as well as a collection of improvising musicians and dancers.
About Summer at Orchestra Hall
Summer at Orchestra Hall is the successor of the Minnesota Orchestra’s traditional Sommerfest, celebrating the Orchestra’s home in the city and its proximity to the revitalized Peavey Plaza. Offered this summer with the theme “Music in Motion” and running from July 14 to August 5, the experience features four weeks of music that celebrates the ways music moves listeners. Alongside pianist and Creative Partner Jon Kimura Parker, who will again serve as the festival’s curator, frequent host and soloist, the pioneering breaking collective BRKFST Dance Company will be the festival’s artist in residence, bringing the “Music in Motion” theme to life with dance performances in Orchestra Hall and on Peavey Plaza.
Audiences are invited to come early to Summer at Orchestra Hall concerts to enjoy Sounds + Bites on Peavey Plaza, which includes free outdoor entertainment by local performers. A variety of dining options will be available from Latin American Cuisine and Wandering Kitchen, including a charcuterie box, savory treats and sparkling beverage options; dining options are also available after most concerts, with themed s’mores trios and craft cocktails from Du Nord Social Spirits. For concertgoers who wish to plan ahead, Bubbles + Bites packages can be pre-ordered with ticket purchase or at minnesotaorchestra.org/bites.
About Day of Music Programming Partners
The Cedar Cultural Center is an eclectic nonprofit music venue located in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis with a mission to promote intercultural understanding and appreciation through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar’s programming spans global roots, folk, indie, experimental, bluegrass, Americana and blues genres, and includes artist residencies, educational programs, workshops, films, dances, comedy, spoken word and community events. Over its 33-year history, The Cedar has established itself as a premier U.S. venue, working to maintain the vibrancy and diversity of the Twin Cities’ arts scene by presenting more than 150 shows a year that highlight international artists, local emerging talent and nationally renowned voices. More: thecedar.org.
City of Bells is a nonprofit working to emphasize the importance of bronze bell installations through discovery, education, promotion and restoration. Minnesota bears the distinction of being home to a greater number of bells than any other U.S. state, and the Twin Cities is the site of some of the largest bronze bell installations in the country, including one bell that weighs 10,000 pounds (Westminster Presbyterian Church) and several large carillons (Central Lutheran Church with 47 bells and House of Hope Presbyterian Church with 49 bells). At the 2022 International Day of Music, City of Bells collaborated with the Orchestra to coordinate the simultaneous tolling of downtown church bells in the finale of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. More: cityofbells.com.
About Chia-Hsuan Lin
Hailed by the Virginia Gazette as “a rock solid” and “animated” conductor, Chia-Hsuan Lin delights audiences throughout the world with her trademark energy and command. Appointed associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in 2016, Lin also enjoys frequent guest appearances around the world, made her Minnesota Orchestra debut in 2020, and has also led the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Virginia Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Williamsburg Symphony, Richmond Ballet, Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, Virginia Commonwealth University Symphony Orchestra, Academy of Taiwan Strings and Taipei Philharmonic Chorus. A champion of the next generation of music and musicians, she has led premieres of a growing list of new works by Chris Thille, Stephen Prutsman, Laura Schwendinger, PaviElle French and Jennifer Jolley. More: chiahsuanlin.com.
About Jon Kimura Parker
Known for his passionate artistry and engaging stage presence, pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed regularly at the Berliner Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, London’s South Bank, the Sydney Opera House and the Beijing Concert Hall. In 2019 he was appointed the Minnesota Orchestra’s first-ever creative partner for Summer at Orchestra Hall, a new role in which he is serving as a creative force behind the Orchestra’s summer festival and appearing each summer as a host, performer and personality. More: jonkimuraparker.com.
About BRKFST Dance Company
BRKFST Dance Company is a group of collaborative breaking choreographers based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 2014, BRKFST’s egalitarian, choreographic collaboration is deeply-rooted in the hip-hop adage, “Each One Teach One”: regardless of class, race, experience, age or gender, everyone remains both teacher and student. BRKFST performs regionally and has premiered work at the Walker Art Center, the Southern Theater, the Cowles Center and Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra. They have toured to Hartford, Connecticut, performing with Hartford Symphony Orchestra and internationally to Dublin, Ireland, performing for Dance2Connect (D2C) Hip Hop Festival. Their film Dreamers (2019) was deemed an official selection in 11 international film festivals, receiving both a “Grand Jury Award” (In/Motion Festival 2021) and “Best Experimental Film” (Tirana International Film Festival 2020). More: brkfstdance.com.
Summer at Orchestra Hall
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MUSIC
Saturday, July 15, 2023, noon to midnight / Orchestra Hall and surrounding outdoor areas
Tickets: FREE
Minnesota Orchestra Classical Concerts
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MUSIC ORCHESTRA CONCERT
Saturday, July 15, 2023, 8:30 p.m. / Peavey Plaza
Minnesota Orchestra
Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, host
Heart and Soul Drum Academy, drums
| STILL | Festive Overture |
| WARD | America the Beautiful |
| WILLIAMS | Theme from Jurassic Park |
| HAYMAN/KESSLER | Armed Forces Medley |
| COLERIDGE-TAYLOR | The Bamboula |
| MOYA | Clave |
| DVOŘÁK | Finale from Symphony No. 8 |
Tickets: FREE
2023 International Day of Music Schedule by Stage
Global Grooves Stage*
Programmed by The Cedar Cultural Center
| 12:30-1:15 p.m. | Douala Soul Collective |
| 2-2:45 p.m. | Di Bayke Klezmer Band |
| 3:30-4:15 p.m. | Cydi Yang |
| 5-5:45 p.m. | Bluedog |
| 6:30-7:45 p.m. | Alma Andina |
* Located outdoors on the corner of 11th Street South and Marquette Avenue.
Music in Motion Stage*
Programmed by BRKFST Dance Company
| 12:15-1 p.m. | Amanda Sachs and Elena Hollenhorst |
| 1:45-2:30 p.m. | Slo Dance Company |
| 3:15-4 p.m. | Duniya Drum and Dance |
| 4:45-5:30 p.m. | MNKrump |
| 6:15-7 p.m. | Meridian Movement Co |
| 7-8:30 p.m. | In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (in audience) |
| 8:30-9:30 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Concert |
* Located outside Orchestra Hall on Peavey Plaza.
Target Atrium Inside Orchestra Hall
| 10-11 a.m. | “Music in Motion,” presented by Children’s Theatre Company |
| 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Guided Meditation (with handbell accompaniment) |
| 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Chamber Concert |
| 3-3:45 p.m. | Dick Hensold and Patsy O’Brien |
| 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Screening of Cloud Cult with the Minnesota Orchestra |
| 6:45-7:30 p.m. | Luke Turner, piano and vocals |
Orchestra Hall Main Auditorium
| 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Walker | West Student Showcase |
| 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Chamber Concert, with Jon Kimura Parker |
| 6-6:45 p.m. | Cuban American Youth Orchestra, with Jon Kimura Parker |
| 10:30-11:30 p.m. | Miloe & The Kabeyas |
Other Locations
| 6 p.m. | Carillon Concert featuring Keiran Cantilina (Central Lutheran Church) |
| 7:45-8:20 p.m. | Heart and Soul Drum Academy (side stage at Peavey Plaza) |
| 9:30-10:30 p.m. | Dance Showcase, featuring DJ Carnage the Executioner (Orchestra Hall lobby) |
The Creative Partner position is supported by Marilyn and Glen Nelson.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
All programs, artists, dates, times and prices subject to change.
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