Minnesota Orchestra's 2017-28 season closing concerts on Classical MPR
Minnesota Orchestra closes its 2017-18 broadcast season with three concerts on Classical MPR that feature Beethoven, Berlioz, Bernstein, and Mahler.
Minnesota Orchestra
We're pleased to present live, full-length Minnesota Orchestra broadcast concerts on (most) Friday nights at 8 p.m.
Program Schedule
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A Minnesota Orchestra woodwind player holds up a reed.
A Minnesota Orchestra woodwind player holds up a reed.
Minnesota Orchestra bassoonist Fei Xie’s cane.
Each piece of Minnesota Orchestra bassoonist Fei Xie’s cane is labeled with the country of origin ("Arg" for Argentina, for example) and the growing season (2005 cane was used for reeds that Fei made in 2016).
Taking our breath away: Excellence at altitude with the Minnesota Orchestra
A week into its South African itinerary, the Minnesota Orchestra has performed two official concerts. But the musicians have spent many more hours on cultural exchange trips, performing for students at township schools, rehearsing with young players and playing a free show at an outdoor pavilion. Dessa reflects on it all in this special essay.
Day 8 in South Africa: Minnesota Orchestra rehearses with student musicians
Cultural exchange programming can be tricky business. Wednesday, however, felt like a win for the Minnesota Orchestra -- at least to Dessa. The orchestra rehearsed and ate dinner alongside student musicians from Pretoria, South Africa. Here are a few clips taken during and after the rehearsal.
Reflections on South Africa's history and music before Friday's Minnesota Orchestra broadcast
Don't miss musical history Friday when the Minnesota Orchestra performs in Soweto, South Africa, the city that was at the center of Nelson Mandela's fight against apartheid. Listen to the concert at 7 p.m. Friday on Classical MPR.
Minnesota Orchestra in Durban, South Africa.
The stage is empty after the Minnesota Orchestra performs Sunday in Durban, South Africa.
Day 5 in South Africa: Minnesota Orchestra performs in Durban
The Minnesota Orchestra performed Sunday in Durban before heading to Johannesburg as part of its South Africa tour. Dessa captured the scene in words, pictures and videos on social media. Check out some of the reactions from locals.
Day 4 in South Africa: Dessa and the Minnesota Orchestra say goodbye to Cape Town
On Saturday, Dessa and the Minnesota Orchestra said goodbye to Cape Town and moved on to the next stop on their South Africa tour, Durban. Here are some of her highlights and keen observations from the day on social media.
Dessa and Mike Gast, principal horn of the Minnesota Orchestra
Dessa hangs out with Mike Gast, principal horn of the Minnesota Orchestra.
Day 1 in South Africa: Dessa flies and dines with the Minnesota Orchestra
For Dessa, Wednesday was for traveling and reintroducing herself to the members of the Minnesota Orchestra as they all landed in South Africa. It was a late night, too -- keeping in mind that South Africa is seven hours ahead of Minnesota time. See what transpired in her first field report.
Minnesota Orchestra closes season with premiere of low-brass concerto 'Pillars'
This weekend, the Minnesota Orchestra performs the world premiere of 'Pillars,' an uncommon low-brass concerto composed to honor the memory of a beloved trombonist. Hear it live at 8 p.m. Friday, along with Mahler's Symphony No. 4, on Classical MPR.
Violinist Augustin Hadelich talks Beethoven with Minnesota Orchestra
Beethoven's Violin Concerto is a poetic summit of the repertoire, widely considered to be the greatest violin concerto ever written. Listen to violinist Augustin Hadelich perform it at 8 p.m. Friday with the Minnesota Orchestra, live on Classical MPR.
Minnesota Orchestra premieres concerto by Emmy-winning composer Jeff Beal
Composer Jeff Beal has written more than just the Emmy-winning score to Netflix's political drama "House of Cards." He recently finished a flute concerto which received its world premiere by soloist Sharon Bezaly, conductor Osmo Vanska, and the Minnesota Orchestra.
Joshua Bell performs with Minnesota Orchestra live tonight on Classical MPR
Joshua Bell returns to the Twin Cities to perform tonight with the Minnesota Orchestra. He'll be featured not only in Henri Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2 but also Pablo de Sarasate's 'Zigeunerweisen.' Hear the concert live on Classical MPR at 7:30 p.m.
Organist Cameron Carpenter goes digital with the Minnesota Orchestra
This weekend, organist Cameron Carpenter performs Rachmaninoff with the Minnesota Orchestra. Carpenter has a lot of opinions on organs, especially the digital one he conceived. Hear his performance live Friday night on Classical MPR.
Minnesota Orchestra appoints Michelle Miller Burns as president, CEO
Dallas Symphony Orchestra executive Michelle Miller Burns has been selected by the Minnesota Orchestra as its new president and CEO. She succeeds Kevin Smith, who will retire Aug. 31 after successfully navigating the orchestra through a difficult labor crisis.
Minnesota Orchestra violinist Erin Keefe explains why she's wild about Weill
Minnesota Orchestra concertmaster Erin Keefe is straying off the beaten path with a violin work that's close to her heart: Kurt Weill's Concerto for Violin and Woodwinds. You can hear it, along with Mahler's 'Titan' Symphony, in this week's Minnesota Orchestra concerts, including Friday night's live broadcast on Classical MPR.
Finnish conductor John Storgards leads Minnesota Orchestra in Shostakovich, Beethoven
Finnish conductor John Storgards takes the podium this weekend in Minneapolis to lead the Minnesota Orchestra in Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 and Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto, with soloist Kenny Broberg. Listen to the live broadcast at 8 p.m. Friday on Classical MPR.