"Minnesota Orchestra At Home" Provides Free Digital Content

The Minnesota Orchestra today introduced Minnesota Orchestra at Home, a new section of the Orchestra’s website that will serve as its primary source of digital content available to audiences worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minnesota Orchestra at Home shares video, audio and educational materials through the categories of Watch, Listen and Learn, including videos from the Orchestra’s archives and newly-created “mini-concerts” directly from the homes of Orchestra musicians. Among the musician videos currently featured are a Mozart concerto excerpt for piano and bassoon, with both parts performed by Principal Bassoon Fei Xie; a short lesson about violin bows with violinist Pamela Arnstein; and a violin and viola duet performed by Associate Concertmaster Felicity James and violist Sifei Cheng. Many videos, audio playlists and concert clips are available now, and the page will be updated regularly with new materials.

“We miss making great music with our colleagues, and we want our community and our audiences to keep hearing the music as we take on this unprecedented challenge,” said Principal Horn Michael Gast, who is currently featured in a video performance of This Little Light of Mine that was shot outdoors with brass section colleagues before the Minnesota Governor’s Stay at Home order was announced. “We're going to make it together, and hopefully the music inspires you, as much as it does us, to hang in there and know that better days are ahead. We want you to know that we're thinking about you.”

Minnesota Orchestra at Home also features a video playlist of concert clips from the Orchestra’s 2019-20 season, full concert livestream footage from selected performances, Spotify playlists curated by Orchestra musicians, and educational content for all ages including a Guide to the Orchestra.

“We are so gratified by the music and stories our Minnesota Orchestra musicians have already shared from their homes,” said Orchestra President and CEO Michelle Miller Burns. “During a time when we are unable to present concerts at Orchestra Hall, it is important to all of us to stay connected with our community and to continue to share the power of music that has been at the heart of our Orchestra’s mission for more than a century.”

Minnesota Orchestra at Home is accessible on all devices at minnesotaorchestra.org/athome or by visiting the Minnesota Orchestra’s website.