You’re Invited!
Minnesota Orchestra family concerts offer a perfect opportunity to get your family together for a special outing. Enjoy cherished holiday music, go on a musical adventure or learn about music in a fun way.
Please note: discounted 2018-19 Family, Student and Educator series tickets are not currently available online. Please call 612-371-5642 for assistance.
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About This Concert
Relive the magic of your favorite wizard in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert. Based on the third installment of J.K. Rowling’s classic saga, fans of all ages can now experience the thrilling tale accompanied by the music of a live symphony orchestra as Harry soars across the big screen.
Please note: This concert will be performed at the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
- Minnesota Chorale
Accessibility at Minnesota Orchestra performances
Please note: to enhance the clarity of spoken dialogue during this film screening and live musical performance, English subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s18)
About This Concert
One of the most thrilling science fiction adventures ever made, and featuring one of John Williams’ most iconic and beloved musical scores, Jurassic Park transformed the movie-going experience for an entire generation and became the highest-grossing film of all time in 1993, winning three Academy Awards®. Masterfully directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the best-selling novel by Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park transports us to a secluded island where scientists have succeeded in reviving the age of dinosaurs in a brand new, immersive theme park, the likes of which has never been seen before.
Renowned paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) are part of an exclusive group invited to the island for a sneak preview of the park’s wonders. When things go terribly wrong, they must fight for their lives against unimaginable dangers in a desperate attempt to escape from a world gone mad... a world in which dinosaurs once again rule the earth.
Now audiences can experience this ground-breaking film as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing Williams’ magnificent score live to picture. Welcome… to Jurassic Park!
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Please note: to enhance the clarity of spoken dialogue during this film screening and live musical performance, English subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen.
Jurassic Park is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. Licensed by Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
About This Concert
Hilarious and heartwarming, Home for the Holidays returns with a few new surprises, combining music performed by the Minnesota Orchestra and storytelling with a Minnesotan slant on Christmas and family traditions.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
- Conceived and directed by Peter Rothstein
- Written and narrated by Kevin Kling
- Original music by Robert Elhai and Peter Ostroushko
Fun Facts
- In 1993, Kling won the prestigious Whiting Award for drama. He’s appeared regularly on NPR’s All Things Considered and won the 2012 National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence Award.
- Our multitalented conductor Sarah Hicks helped create this uniquely Minnesotan holiday show in collaboration with Kevin Kling and director/co-writer Peter Rothstein.
- Director Peter Rothstein is no stranger to the Twin Cities arts scene. The 2015 Star Tribune “Artist of the Year” is also Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da.
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
About This Concert
Be our guest as the Minnesota Orchestra performs the score of Disney's animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, live in concert! Experience this full-length film, overflowing with unforgettable characters and Academy Award®-winning music (Best Original Song, Best Original Score, 1991)!
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
Accessibility
Please note: to enhance the clarity of spoken dialogue during this film screening and live musical performance, English subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen.
Presentation made under license from Buena Vista Concerts, a division of ABC Inc. © 2015 Disney. All rights reserved.
About This Concert:
Journey to a galaxy far, far away to relive the excitement of the original Star Wars movie as the Minnesota Orchestra performs an exhilarating live accompaniment of the Oscar®-winning score.
This program is part of Minnesota Orchestra's American Expressions, celebrating and exploring this country’s bold, imaginative and diverse classical music tradition.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
Accessibility
Read more about Accessibility at Orchestra Hall.
Please note: to enhance the clarity of spoken dialogue during this film screening and live musical performance, English subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen.
© 2018 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © DISNEY.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Warner/Chappell Music.
About This Concert:
In this concert wholly devoted to deserving young artists, we introduce composers on a blazing path to create the next generation’s orchestral masterpieces.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Osmo Vänskä, conductor
- Kevin Puts, Composer Institute director
- Rui Du, violin
- Tengku Irfan, piano
TJ COLE
Nightscape
VIET CUONG
Moxie
JONATHAN CZINER
Resonant Bells
WILL HEALY
Kolmanskop
MATTHEW RICKETTS
Melodia, for Piano and Orchestra
CONNOR ELIAS WAY
Over Collapsing Cities of Steel
ALYSSA WEINBERG
in somnis
This program is part of Minnesota Orchestra's American Expressions festival, celebrating and exploring this country’s bold, imaginative and diverse classical music tradition.
Fun Facts:
- This concert is the final event of 16th Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, co-presented with the American Composers Forum, a nationally recognized program to support young composers.
- Composers spend one week in the Orchestra's award-winning professional training program, under the direction of Kevin Puts, winner of a 2012 Pulitzer Prize for his opera Silent Night.
- In 2006 Osmo Vänskä expanded the Composer Institute to include a Future Classics concert showcasing music by the composers who attend the program. In addition to rehearsing and conducting the concert, he meets individually with all seven composers for private mentoring.
- The Composer Institute grew out of the Orchestra's Perfect Pitch program, an annual series of new music reading sessions for Minnesota composers. Perfect Pitch was reformulated in 2001 as the Composer Institute.
- This program’s works cover a range of musical styles; many will receive their first performance by a major American orchestra during the Future Classics concert.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
Intimate, elegant and luminous, this one-hour concert is an invitation to mingle, and rejuvenate with music in gorgeous works by Ravel, Bizet and Vivaldi.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Jane Glover, conductor
- Roma Duncan, piccolo
VIVALDI
Piccolo Concerto in C major
BIZET
Symphony No. 1
Fun Facts:
- Symphony in 60 concerts include a pre-show happy hour, local craft beer, and a chance to mingle with musicians post-performance (9:15pm).
- Although he was a child prodigy, Bizet was only intermittently successful in his lifetime. He died at age 36 of a heart attack, three months before the premiere of Carmen, the opera for which he would become most recognized.
- While Ravel wrote Le Tombeau de Couperin as an homage to friends he lost in World War I, the work is not a dirge or requiem, but a delicate, evocative reimagining of 18th-century French dance forms.
- The Four Seasons is perhaps Vivaldi’s best-known work, but he wrote more than 500 other concertos for instruments including mandolin, violin, cello, flute, viola d’amore, recorder and lute.
- The Chicago Classical Review praises guest conductor Jane Glover’s “finely calibrated equilibrium” while DC Metro Theater Arts applauds her “whimsy and panache.”
- Outspoken, opinionated and intelligent, Ravel was a brilliant critic and writer as well as a composer, and was a member of the artistic salon group known as “Les Apaches” (the Ruffians), which included the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla and poet Tristan Klingsor.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
Saint-Saëns' masterpiece for two pianos and orchestra will feature YPSCA School Music Auditions winner Emma Taggart joined by her brother Jacob Taggart as soloists on the magical Carnival of Animals.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Akiko Fujimoto, conductor
Fun Facts:
- Join us for a concert sure to delight audiences of all ages! All seats $12. One-hour concert. No intermission.
- Audiences will hear all of their favorite animals, including the Swan, the Elephant, Kangaroos, Lions, Birds and Fish.
- Rounding out the program will be the exciting Overture to William Tell and three additional pieces inspired by animals.
- Participate in lobby activities (11:45am-12:45pm and 1:45pm-2:45pm), including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, participate in collaborative art-making, learn more about the program and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
Sensory-Friendly Family Concerts:
- The Minnesota Orchestra’s Sensory-Friendly Concerts are inclusive experiences for patrons of all ages and abilities, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with sensory sensitivities.
- All families are welcome! We invite you to Orchestra Hall—a supporting and relaxed environment.
- Concerts take place in an environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Learn more about the concert experience with our tip sheet and other preparatory materials (available four weeks prior to the concert)!
Accessibility
About This Concert:
Called “a sweet stream of melodies” when it premiered, Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony sparkles alongside Libby Larsen and Johann Strauss’ aquatically-themed selections in this cheerfully springy 60 minute musical interlude.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- David Danzmayr, conductor
*LARSEN
Symphony: Water Music
SCHUBERT
Symphony in B minor, Unfinished
J. STRAUSS, Jr.
On the Beautiful Blue Danube
Fun Facts:
- Symphony in 60 concerts include a pre-show happy hour, local craft beer, and a chance to mingle with musicians post-performance (9:15pm).
- Scholars are still mystified as to why Schubert didn’t finish Symphony No. 8; some speculate that it was due to the onset of syphilis that would eventually kill him at age 31.
- A prolific composer during his short life, Schubert composed more than 600 secular vocal works (mainly Lieder), seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and a large body of chamber and piano music.
- Also a prolific composer, Libby Larsen has a catalogue of over 500 works, and has been hailed as “the only English-speaking composer since Benjamin Britten who matches great verse with fine music so intelligently and expressively” by USA Today.
- A passionate advocate for contemporary composers and their work, Libby Larsen co-founded the Minnesota Composers Forum, now the American Composers Forum, in 1973 to assist composers in a transitional time for American arts.
- Strauss wrote more than 400 waltzes, and the Blue Danube, written to celebrate Vienna’s famous river, remains one of the most popular and well-known. It even appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, in the space station docking scene and in the film’s closing credits.
*This work is part of Minnesota Orchestra's season-long exploration and celebration of American music. Learn more about our American Expressions festival in January 2019.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
The five-time Grammy®-winning a cappella group takes the stage with its captivating blend of classical, pop and pure voice performing a musical retrospective that includes J.S. Bach, Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles and more.
Please note: the Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this concert.
Fun Facts:
- The group won five Grammy® awards, has made more than 50 albums and appeared on numerous film and TV soundtracks including Sex and the City, Grey’s Anatomy and Glee.
- The Swingles’ newest album, Folklore, explores folk music from around the world and features collaborations with traditional artists.
- In addition to touring, The Swingles host their own London A Cappella Festival at Kings Place each January.
- Their recent performances include concerts at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
Go boldly where few films have gone before as the Enterprise crew confronts one of the greatest threats Starfleet has ever faced (Benedict Cumberbatch) in J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi blockbuster, while the Orchestra plays Michael Giacchino’s spectacular score – live!
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
Fun Facts:
- Director J.J. Abrams praises Giacchino’s music as “the secret weapon of the Star Trek series.”
- Michael Giacchino’s 2009 score for the Pixar hit Up earned him an Oscar®, a Golden Globe®, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two Grammy® Awards.
- This was Leonard Nimoy's final turn as Spock, and his final role before his death at age 83.
- Giacchino holds the distinction of being the only composer to score both a Star Trek movie and a Star Wars movie, the latter being 2016's Rogue One.
- J.J. Abrams pitched the villain to Benedict Cumberbatch as a combination of The Joker from The Dark Knight (2008), Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs (1991), and Jack Torrance from The Shining (1980).
- This program is part of the Minnesota Orchestra’s season-long exploration and celebration of American music.
Accessibility
Read more about Accessibility at Orchestra Hall.
Please note: to enhance the clarity of spoken dialogue during this film screening and live musical performance, English subtitles will appear at the bottom of the screen.
©2013 Paramount Pictures. ™ CBS Studios Inc.
About This Concert:
Seriously talented and seriously funny, Igudesman and Joo return to the Minnesota Orchestra for a one-of-a-kind madcap musical satire.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
- Aleksey Igudesman, violin
- Hyung-ki Joo, piano
Fun Facts:
- This violin and piano duo are the funniest serious musicians you're ever likely to see, as attested to by the 35 million views on their YouTube videos—making them bona fide internet sensations.
- Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo’s unique combination of humor and music reflects their shared goal to make classical music accessible to diverse audiences—think P.D.Q. Bach or Victor Borge on caffeine.
- They first met each other at age 12 in the mid-1980s at the Yehudi Menuhin School in England, and in 2004 they created their first show as a duo, “A Little Nightmare Music.”
- They’ve performed “BIG Nightmare Music” with major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony, and collaborated with classical legends including Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell and Viktoria Mullova.
- Igudesman, an active composer, has collaborated with musicians ranging from film composer Hans Zimmer to Bobby McFerrin.
- Billy Joel handpicked Hyung-ki Joo to arrange and record Joel’s classical compositions on the 2001 album Fantasies & Delusions.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
The beloved children's book The Tin Forest comes to life in this magical concert.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Akiko Fujimoto, conductor
Fun Facts:
- Join us for a concert sure to delight audiences of all ages! All seats $12. One-hour concert. No intermission.
- Composer Steve Heitzeg often uses “found objects” as instruments in his works, and his music is filled with surprises. This will delight students who hear The Tin Forest, a musical retelling of Helen Ward’s beloved children’s book, in which an ugly junkyard magically grows into a beautiful forest.
- Rounding out this concert are thrilling Dvořák and Smetana selections performed by the Orchestra, plus a star turn by pianist Emma Taggart, age 16, who performs the dramatic third movement of Grieg’s Piano Concerto—showing the talent that won her the 2018 Young People’s Concerto Competition!
- Participate in lobby activities (11:45am-12:45pm and 1:45pm-2:45pm), including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, participate in collaborative art-making, learn more about the program and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
Sensory-Friendly Family Concerts:
- The Minnesota Orchestra’s Sensory-Friendly Concerts are inclusive experiences for patrons of all ages and abilities, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with sensory sensitivities.
- All families are welcome! We invite you to Orchestra Hall—a supporting and relaxed environment.
- Concerts take place in an environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Learn more about the concert experience with our tip sheet and other preparatory materials (available four weeks prior to the concert)!
Accessibility
About This Concert:
Grab a ticket to ride in a mesmerizing symphonic journey through the history of The Beatles at Abbey Road that features smart new arrangements of their greatest hits interspersed with never-before-seen images from The Beatles Book Archives.
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Fun Facts:
- This performance includes gems like “Ticket to Ride,” “Get Back,” “Hey Jude,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “All You Need is Love.”
- The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them as the best artist of all time, and they received the 2014 Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The iconic drop-T Beatles logo was sketched by a music shop owner, Ivor Arbiter, when Ringo bought a new drum kit from his London shop in 1963.
- Paul is not McCartney's first name, James is. Lennon changed his middle name from Winston to Ono after marrying Yoko Ono in 1969.
- Currently the Principal Pops Conductor for the Rochester Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestras of Dallas, Detroit and Oregon, Jeff Tyzik has collaborated with artists including Wynonna Judd, Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Doc Severinsen and John Pizzarelli.
Accessibility
About This Concert:
From Latin grooves to swingin’ sounds and floating waltzes, this program is sure to make you feel the rhythm!
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Akiko Fujimoto, conductor
BARROSO/arr. Wasson
Brasil
REICH
Hand Clapping Music for Claves
TCHAIKOVSKY
Waltz of the Flowers, from The Nutcracker
ELLINGTON/arr. Strayhorn
The Floreadores, from The Swingin’ Nutcracker
SIBELIUS
Dance Intermezzo No. 2
COPLAND
Hoedown, from Rodeo
COPLAND
Simple Gifts, from Appalachian Spring
MENKEN
Under the Sea, from Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Fun Facts:
- Join us for a concert sure to delight audiences of all ages! All seats $12. One-hour concert. No intermission.
- Steve Reich was a pioneer of minimalist music composition, and was among the first to use tape loops, human breath and hand clapping to create styles known as “pulse” and “phase” music.
- Under the Sea was written by Alan Menken for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. It was Menken’s first score for Disney, and it won the Academy Award for Best Song in 1989.
- The traditional Shaker hymn Simple Gifts was made famous after its use in Aaron Copland's popular ballet Appalachian Spring. Weezer, REM, Judy Collins and Jewel have recorded versions of it, and John Williams’ Air and Simple Gifts arrangement was performed at Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2009.
- Come early for pre-concert activities (12:45-1:45pm), including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, participate in collaborative art-making, learn more about the program and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
- The Minnesota Orchestra may photograph or film portions of this experience for promotional and archival purposes. Please note that by entering, you consent to be photographed or filmed for these uses.
Sensory-Friendly Family Concerts:
- The Minnesota Orchestra’s Sensory-Friendly Family Concerts are inclusive experiences for patrons of all ages and abilities, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with sensory sensitivities.
- All families are welcome! We invite you to Orchestra Hall—a supporting and relaxed environment.
- Concerts take place in an environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Learn more about the concert experience with our tip sheet and other preparatory materials (available four weeks prior to the concert)!