Minnesota Orchestra Announces Programming for 2025 Summer Festival

Virtuoso pianist Jon Kimura Parker returns to Summer at Orchestra Hall as creative partner and featured soloist in concertos by Schumann and Grieg 

Concerts from June 30 to August 1 celebrate Romantic-era music by Brahms, Beethoven, Dvořák and Tchaikovsky, featuring Assistant Principal Second Violin Cecilia Belcher and conductors Akiko Fujimoto, Samuel Lee and Kensho Watanabe

Festival also features Chamber Music, a Family Concert, Grand Piano Spectacular and the first film in the much-loved series: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™, led by Norman Huynh

The Minnesota Orchestra’s Summer at Orchestra Hall festival will return from June 30 to August 1, 2025, encompassing five weeks of programming at Orchestra Hall and various venues across the region. Curated by Creative Partner and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, the summer concerts center around large-scale Romantic-era music and feature Parker as soloist in piano concertos by Robert Schumann and Edvard Grieg. 
 
“We’re diving into highly expressive, lyrical pieces from the Romantic era this Summer at Orchestra Hall,” says Parker. “I’ll perform standout piano concertos of the era by Schumann and Grieg that share wonderfully emotional and melodic qualities while also being utterly unique. We’ll also share a film concert, family performance, chamber music and the wild fun of our Grand Piano Spectacular—all against the beautiful backdrop of Orchestra Hall in the summer. I can’t wait to return to Minneapolis.” 
 
The summer kicks off with a week of free outdoor concerts as part of the Orchestra’s long-standing Symphony for the Cities initiative. Performances will take place on Monday, June 30, at the Lakefront Park Bandshell in Hudson, Wisconsin; Tuesday, July 1, at Excelsior Commons Pavilion; Wednesday, July 2 at the Hilde Center for the Performing Arts in Plymouth; and at the Winona Lake Park Bandshell on Saturday, July 5. Led by conductor Jason Seber, repertoire will include patriotic songs and film music, among other works. 
 
Cecilia Belcher, the Orchestra’s assistant principal second violin, steps into the solo spotlight to open Summer at Orchestra Hall (July 10-12) performing Beethoven’s Romances No. 1 and 2, under the baton of conductor Kensho Watanabe. Fresh from Metropolitan Opera performances of La Bohème, Watanabe also leads Weber’s dark and thrilling Overture to Der Freischütz and Brahms’ sublime Second Symphony.

In the festival’s second week (July 17-20), Norman Huynh leads the Orchestra in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert, relaunching the popular Harry Potter Film Concert series with the first film and bringing to life an unforgettable score by John Williams.  

Pianist Jon Kimura Parker is showcased in the final two weeks of the festival, first playing Robert Schumann’s only Piano Concerto on a program (Friday, July 25) that also features Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture and a Suite from Tchaikovsky’s exquisite ballet Swan Lake, all led by rising conductor Samuel Lee. Parker subsequently interprets Edvard Grieg’s richly melodic Piano Concerto (Friday, August 1) in a concert led by Akiko Fujimoto, former Minnesota Orchestra associate conductor, that also features Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn and Dvořák’s sunny Eighth Symphony.

Additional festival highlights include a Relaxed Family Concert exploring Rhythm in Motion and featuring the dancers of Los Alegres Bailadores (Saturday, July 26, 2 p.m.); an evening of Chamber Music featuring Minnesota Orchestra musicians, alongside Jon Kimura Parker (Saturday, July 26, 7 p.m.); and the Grand Piano Spectacular, with this year’s keyboard extravaganza featuring Parker joined by pianists Chelsea de Souza, Artem Kuznetsov and Ayane Nakajima (Thursday, July 31, 7 p.m.). 

About Summer at Orchestra Hall 

Summer at Orchestra Hall celebrates the Orchestra’s home in the city. Running this summer from June 30 to August 1, the 2025 festival—curated by Creative Partner and pianist Jon Kimura Parker—explores lush orchestral music and piano concertos of the Romantic era. Audiences are invited to come early to enjoy pre-concert entertainment from a variety of local performers in the Target Atrium, as well as special dining and cocktail options. 
 
About Jon Kimura Parker 

Known for his passionate artistry and engaging stage presence, pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed regularly at the Berlin 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, and this summer he curates his fifth festival with the Orchestra, appearing in multiple roles as host, soloist and chamber musician. 

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Summer at Orchestra Hall 
SYMPHONY FOR THE CITIES 

Monday, June 30, 2025, 7:30 p.m. / Lakefront Park Bandshell, Hudson, Wisconsin 
Tuesday, July 1, 2025, 7:30 p.m. / Excelsior Commons Pavilion, Excelsior 
Wednesday, July 2, 2025, 8:30 p.m. / Hilde Center for the Performing Arts, Plymouth 
Saturday, July 5, 2025, 7:30 p.m. / Winona Lake Park Bandshell, Winona 

Minnesota Orchestra
Jason Seber, conductor

The Minnesota Orchestra’s summertime Symphony for the Cities concerts are offered as an annual thank you to the community and feature a mix of patriotic music, film scores and other orchestral music. 

Tickets: FREE  

Summer at Orchestra Hall 
BEETHOVEN AND BRAHMS

Thursday, July 10, 2025, 11 a.m./ Orchestra Hall 
Friday, July 11, 2025, 8 p.m. / Orchestra Hall
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Minnesota Orchestra
Kensho Watanabe, conductor
Cecilia Belcher, violin 

WEBER        Overture to Der Freischütz
BEETHOVEN        Romances No. 1 and 2 for Violin and Orchestra
BRAHMS        Symphony No. 2

U.S. Bank Movies & Music 
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE™ IN CONCERT 
with the Minnesota Orchestra

Thursday, July 17, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall  
Friday, July 18, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall 
Saturday, July 19, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall 
Sunday, July 20, 2025, 2 p.m. / Orchestra Hall 

Minnesota Orchestra
Norman Huynh, conductor

Led by Norman Huynh, the Minnesota Orchestra performs live-to-picture every note from John Williams’ score to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,™ as the Orchestra goes back to the beginning to perform the first title in the wildly popular film series.

Summer at Orchestra Hall 
PARKER, SCHUMANN AND TCHAIKOVSKY 

Friday, July 25, 2025, 8 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Minnesota Orchestra
Samuel Lee, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano

MENDELSSOHN    Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture
SCHUMANN        Piano Concerto 
TCHAIKOVSKY    Suite from Swan Lake

Family Concert 
RHYTHM IN MOTION 

Saturday, July 26, 2025, 2 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Minnesota Orchestra
Samuel Lee, conductor
Los Alegres Bailadores, dancers 

Samuel Lee, winner of the 2024 Malko Competition for Young Conductors and the associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony, leads a family concert exploring music inspired by dance and featuring Twin Cities-based Mexican folkloric dance ensemble Los Alegres Bailadores.

Summer at Orchestra Hall 
CHAMBER MUSIC IN THE HALL 

Saturday, July 26, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Jon Kimura Parker, piano 
Members of the Minnesota Orchestra 

AUERBACH        Trio No. 1 for Violin, Cello and Piano
CLARKE        Dumka
BRAHMS        Quintet for Piano and Strings 

Summer at Orchestra Hall 
GRAND PIANO SPECTACULAR 

Thursday, July 31, 2025, 7 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Chelsea de Souza, piano 
Artem Kuznetsov, piano 
Ayane Nakajima, piano

In one of Summer at Orchestra Hall’s most joyful traditions, four virtuoso pianists come together on four pianos for an evening of humor, camaraderie and thrilling piano music. 

[Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not appear on this program.]

Summer at Orchestra Hall 
PARKER, GRIEG AND DVOŘÁK 

Friday, August 1, 2025, 8 p.m. / Orchestra Hall

Minnesota Orchestra
Akiko Fujimoto, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano 

BRAHMS        Variations on a Theme of Haydn 
GRIEG            Piano Concerto 
DVOŘÁK        Symphony No. 8

TICKET PURCHASING INFORMATION

Tickets for Summer at Orchestra Hall are available in packages of three or more concerts now and can be purchased at minnesotaorchestra.org or by calling 612-371-5642. Individual tickets for Summer at Orchestra Hall programs will be available to the general public on April 8 and can be purchased at minnesotaorchestra.org or by calling 612-371-5656. For groups of 10 or more, call 612-371-5662.

The Movies & Music series is presented by U.S. Bank.  

The Family Concert series is sponsored by PNC.

The Chamber Music Series is sponsored by Dr. Jennine and John* Speier (* in remembrance)

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.

PRESS CONTACTS

Gwen Pappas, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations
gpappas@mnorch.org

Alexandra Robinson, Content and Communications Manager
arobinson@mnorch.org