Tuesday June 11, 2024
Minnesota Orchestra Announces Day of Music Lineup, Celebrating 50 Years at Orchestra Hall
Taking place July 27 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., the annual Day of Music will commemorate the 50-year anniversary of Orchestra Hall, inviting Twin Cities-based artists to activate the Hall with performances and activities throughout the day
The Minnesota Orchestra will perform a Relaxed Family Concert at 1 p.m. and a culminating performance at 8 p.m.; at 4 p.m., Orchestra musicians will present a chamber music program with pianist Jon Kimura Parker, creative partner for Summer at Orchestra Hall
Additional artists from across genres include singer-songwriter FPA, vocalist-pianist duo Aida Shahghasemi and Nima Hafezieh, the Havana String Quartet, storyteller Danielle Daniel and rapper Carnage the Executioner
For a complete listing of activities, please see the schedule at the end of this release
The Minnesota Orchestra’s Day of Music returns on Saturday, July 27, with performances and activities taking place throughout Orchestra Hall from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. A cornerstone of the annual Summer at Orchestra Hall festival, Day of Music showcases the Minnesota Orchestra and guest performers from a range of genres, bringing attention to the depth of artistic talent around the Twin Cities. Food trucks and additional vendors will be present throughout the day.
This year’s Day of Music festival kicks off celebrations around the 50th anniversary of the opening of Orchestra Hall, which will be commemorated during the Orchestra’s 2024-25 season through select repertoire and special activities. As part of the anniversary celebration, most Day of Music events will occur inside Orchestra Hall, where an additional backstage performance site—the Rehearsal Room—has been added to the list of stages. Visitors will also be invited to participate in backstage tours of the Hall. Tours will be free, but ticketed and timed; the public can make tour reservations for 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. tours by visiting minnesotaorchestra.org/day-of-music.
Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra will offer three separate performances over the course of the day. At 1 p.m., the full Orchestra will present a one-hour Relaxed Family Concert geared towards audiences of all ages; titled Symphonic Swings and Strums, the program includes selections from Anna Clyne, Igor Stravinsky and Jessie Montgomery, among others. The ensemble will perform an evening concert titled A Summer Symphonic Promenade at 8 p.m. with similar selections and additional works by Sergei Prokofiev and Jean Sibelius. These concerts will be led by compelling early-career conductor Stephanie Childress. Free tickets to the 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. concerts are available for young listeners under 18, thanks to the Hall Pass program. Choose Your Price tickets ($5 minimum ticket price) for listeners older than 18 are available for all seating sections for both concerts. And at 4 p.m., Orchestra musicians will join pianist and Creative Partner for Summer at Orchestra Hall Jon Kimura Parker in the auditorium for a free chamber music program.
About Day of Music Artists
Presented in partnership with the Downtown Improvement District, a yoga session featuring music from a Minnesota Orchestra musician will begin the day’s activities at 9 a.m. outdoors on Peavey Plaza.
Activities in Orchestra Hall’s Target Atrium have been programmed by The Cedar Cultural Center, with artists reflecting a broad range of musical traditions: at 11 a.m., the Arabic hand drumming ensemble YallaDrum! Ensemble will play, immediately followed by a performance from a cappella group Summer Singers; at 2 p.m., a trio led by Cameroonian acoustic guitarist WANAKV will present bright and energetic music; the jazz fusion CORDA Trio will play at 3:30 p.m.; at 5 p.m., Persian vocal and piano duo Aida Shahghasemi and Nima Hafezieh will perform their contemplative music; the electronic, guitar-driven singer-songwriter FPA (Frances Priya) will perform with a full band at 6:30 p.m.; Minneapolis-based emcee, beat boxer and hip hop artist Carnage the Executioner will culminate activities at 9 p.m. in the Target Atrium, where he will be joined by a DJ and a crew of local dance artists.
Located backstage at Orchestra Hall, the Rehearsal Room features activities for young people, beginning with a Sound Factory installation from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., which allows children to try their hand at various orchestral instruments; family-friendly activities will simultaneously take place in the Orchestra Hall lobby from 12 to 1:45 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., educator and theater artist Danielle Daniel will host a storytelling activity for young people and their families. Between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., the space will host screenings of mini-documentaries from the Emmy Award-winning This Is Minnesota Orchestra digital series, which includes artist interviews and other behind-the-scenes features.
In addition to the three performances from Minnesota Orchestra musicians in the Orchestra Hall Auditorium, the Havana String Quartet will present a half-hour of chamber music at 5:30 p.m. Among the most active chamber music groups in Latin America, the quartet’s appearance will be presented by the Cuban American Youth Orchestra, a group founded in the wake of the Minnesota Orchestra’s historic 2015 tour to Cuba.
About Summer at Orchestra Hall
Summer at Orchestra Hall celebrates the Orchestra’s home in the city. Running this summer from July 19 to August 10, this year’s festival is guided by the theme of the Roaring Twenties, with music that reflects on the 1920s, a decade of significant artistic innovation. Virtuoso pianist Jon Kimura Parker returns to Summer at Orchestra Hall as creative partner and featured soloist in three concert programs. For tickets to all Summer at Orchestra Hall concerts, visit minnesotaorchestra.org/summer.
Audiences are invited to come early to Summer at Orchestra Hall concerts to enjoy pre-concert entertainment from a variety of local performers in the Target Atrium. Concertgoers will also be able to dine with Wandering Kitchen, with curated selections including a charcuterie box, savory treats and sparkling beverage options. For all food and beverage offerings this summer, visit minnesotaorchestra.org/bubblesandbites.
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 Stephanie Childress
Strong ideas, lucid communication and intensely focused energy are among the qualities that define Stephanie Childress among today’s most compelling young musicians. Recently appointed principal guest conductor of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, her musicianship and command of a broad scope of repertoire have already led her to establish herself on both sides of the Atlantic. More: stephaniechildress.com.
About The Cedar Cultural Center
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. Now celebrating 35 years of robust programming, 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.
Summer at Orchestra Hall
DAY OF MUSIC
Celebrating 50 Years at Orchestra Hall
Saturday, July 27, 2024, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. / Orchestra Hall
Tickets: Minnesota Orchestra concerts are available through Choose Your Price tickets; all other events are free.
[Tickets note: Backstage tours are free but require a ticket.]
Summer at Orchestra Hall
RELAXED FAMILY CONCERT: SYMPHONIC SWINGS AND STRUMS
Saturday, July 27, 2023, 1 p.m. / Orchestra Hall Auditorium
Minnesota Orchestra
Stephanie Childress, conductor
| BERLIOZ | Roman Carnival Overture |
| CLYNE | Masquerade |
| STRAVINSKY | Infernal Dance, from The Firebird |
| MONTGOMERY | Strum |
| POULENC | Mazurka and Finale, from Les Biches |
[Tickets note: Free tickets available for young listeners under 18, thanks to the Hall Pass program. Choose Your Price tickets ($5 minimum ticket price) are available for all seating sections.]
Summer at Orchestra Hall
A SUMMER SYMPHONIC PROMENADE
Saturday, July 27, 2023, 8 p.m. / Orchestra Hall Auditorium
Minnesota Orchestra
Stephanie Childress, conductor
| BERLIOZ | Roman Carnival Overture |
| CLYNE | Masquerade |
| STRAVINSKY | Infernal Dance, from The Firebird |
| MONTGOMERY | Strum |
| POULENC | Suite from Love for Three Oranges |
| SIBELIUS | Finlandia |
[Tickets note: Free tickets available for young listeners ages 6 to 18, thanks to the Hall Pass program. Choose Your Price tickets ($5 minimum ticket price) are available for all seating sections.]
2024 Day of Music Schedule by Stage
PEAVEY PLAZA
| 9-10 a.m. | Yoga |
BACKSTAGE TOURS
Backstage tours will take place at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
TARGET ATRIUM
Programmed by The Cedar Cultural Center
| 11-11:45 a.m. | YallaDrum! Ensemble |
| 12-12:45 p.m. | Summer Singers |
| 2-2:45 p.m. | WANAKV |
| 3:30-4:15 p.m. | CORDA Trio |
| 5-5:45 p.m. | Aida Shahghasemi and Nima Hafezieh |
| 6:30-7:30 p.m. | FPA |
| 9-10 p.m. | An evening of hip-hop featuring Carnage the Executioner |
REHEARSAL ROOM
| 11 a.m.-1:45 p.m. | Sound Factory |
| 2-4 p.m. | Storytelling with Danielle Daniel |
| 5:30-7:30 p.m. | This Is Minnesota Orchestra mini-documentary screenings |
ORCHESTRA HALL AUDITORIUM
| 1-2 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Family Concert: Symphonic Swings and Strums |
| 4-5:15 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Chamber Music Concert with pianist Jon Kimura Parker |
| 5:30-6 p.m. | Havana String Quartet |
| 8-9 p.m. | Minnesota Orchestra Concert: A Summer Symphonic Promenade |
TICKET PURCHASING INFORMATION
To purchase tickets for Minnesota Orchestra Day of Music concerts or to reserve a backstage tour, visit minnesotaorchestra.org/day-of-music, or call 612-371-5656.
The Hall Pass program makes free tickets available for young listeners ages 6 to 18 for Day of Music concerts and select Summer at Orchestra Hall performances, and all kids under 18 for select concerts. This program is sponsored by Cynthia and Jay Ihlenfeld. For more information, visit minnesotaorchestra.org/hallpass.
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.