Minnesota Orchestra Musicians Around Town
When Minnesota Orchestra musicians aren’t at Orchestra Hall, you can find many of them around the Twin Cities and beyond in other types of musical performances such as solo recitals and concerts with chamber music groups, concerto appearances with other orchestras, forays into rock music, stage productions and more. Some of the Orchestra’s musicians are skilled composers, arrangers, conductors and recording artists, to name just a few of their talents. Taking on outside projects gives them chances to flex musical muscles that aren’t engaged as often in a typical Orchestra setting—while expanding musicians’ tool kits in ways that often come in handy at Orchestra performances.
On this continually updating page you’ll find details about Minnesota Orchestra musicians’ local performances beyond the confines of Orchestra Hall. Meanwhile, another opportunity to get to know the musicians in new ways right here at Orchestra Hall is at our Symphony in 60 concerts—hour-long performances with a 6 p.m. start time and other enhancements including a post-concert onstage gathering. Upcoming Symphony in 60 concerts include Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 on May 11, 2024.
Musicians Around Town
On Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, a performance of the Isles Ensemble features three Minnesota Orchestra musicians—violinists Natsuki Kumagai and Emily Switzer and violist Sarah Switzer—in a program of music by Joseph Haydn, Giacomo Puccini, Richard Strauss and Frédéric Chopin, featuring musical selections that contrast with the styles these composers are best known for. Additional musicians joining the performers are violist Leslie Shank, cellists Laura Sewell and Tom Rosenberg and pianist Denis Evstuhin. Visit islesensemble.org for more information and tickets.
On Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. at Westminster Church in Minneapolis, a special concert continues the legacy of two late members of the Minnesota Orchestra family: former Concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis and her husband, musicologist Michael Steinberg. The fund created in their name has commissioned Roydon Tse to create a work called Stone Pond setting text by Ellen Bryant Voigt. It will be performed by four Minnesota Orchestra musicians—violinist Alan Snow, cellists Anthony Ross and Beth Rapier and Timothy Zavadil on saxophone rather than his usual instrument, bass clarinet—along with narrator Stephen Yoakam. Also on the program is Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C major, with Concertmaster Erin Keefe and former Minnesota Orchestra violist Sabina Thatcher joining Snow, Ross and Rapier. Tickets are available through the Minnesota Orchestra website. Additional information is available at the Michael Steinberg & Jorja Fleezanis Fund website.
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