Pre-Concert Activities at Orchestra Hall

Prior to many Minnesota Orchestra performances, pre-concert activities at Orchestra Hall provide enriching and entertaining experiences. Come early to hear music, attend a concert preview or just hang out before the show!

Chamber Music in the Hall: Beethoven, Fuchs and Schoenberg: February 15, 2026

Before and after the Chamber Music concert on Sunday, February 15, the audience is invited to explore a variety of wellness-focused activities that explore how live music impacts mental health and wellbeing. These include a pre-concert panel discussion at 1 p.m. in the Target Atrium; a post-concert experience immediately after the performance (approximately 3:45-4:30 p.m.) in the Target Atrium; and additional lobby experiences in the Roberta Mann Grand Foyer from 12:30-4:30 p.m. The activities are presented in partnership with the University of Minnesota's Audiology Department, School of Music, the Listen Lab, the Center for Applied & Translational Sensory Science, and the Auditory Perception and Cognition Lab. Click here for additional information and details.

Vänskä, Keefe and Stravinsky: February 19-20, 2026

On Thursday, February 19, at 10:15 a.m., onstage in the Lindahl Auditorium, and Friday, February 20, at 7:15 p.m., in the Target Atrium, host Phillip Gainsley interviews Minnesota Orchestra Concertmaster Erin Keefe and Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä. Gainsley has been speaking about music for over 40 years. For 30 years he was a regular panelist on the “Opera Quiz” heard during the intermissions of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. Gainsley has hosted Minnesota Orchestra pre-concert discussions since 2004, and he currently records interviews for the oral history project of the Orchestra's archives. His podcast Let's Talk Music features conversations with composers, conductors, directors, performers and other creative forces. Keefe has served as the Orchestra's concertmaster since 2011, while Vänskä was music director from 2003 to 2022, when he was named conductor laureate.

Lunar New Year: February 26, 2026

On Thursday, February 26, at 6:15 p.m., in the Target Atrium, the audience is invited to enjoy a pre-concert performance curated by Gao Hong and performed by Carleton College's Chinese Music Ensemble. In addition, the Roberta Mann Grand Foyer will feature special decor as well as an intermission performance of the traditional Dragon Dance, presented in partnership with the Alliance of Chinese Culture & Arts.