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.
About This Concert:
Join us for an inclusive experience designed for audiences of all ages and abilities, featuring a musician or small ensemble from the Minnesota Orchestra and talented guest musicians from the audience!
Artists
- David Brubaker, violin
- Joanne Opgenorth, violin
- Gareth Zehngut, viola
- Minji Choi, cello
- Lyndie Walker, host
Sensory-Friendly Concerts:
- The Minnesota Orchestra’s Sensory-Friendly Concerts are inclusive experiences for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with sensory sensitivities.
- Concerts take place in a relaxed environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Lyndie Walker, MT-BC, of Toneworks Music Therapy Services hosts these concerts in the Target Atrium.
- Fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, and quiet spaces are available at all Sensory-Friendly Concerts, and attendees can also access online preparatory materials (available four weeks before the concert).
- Stand-alone chairs provide for flexible seating and open space is available for those who wish to sit on the floor or move around the room.
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor:
At a Glance
This concert is recommended for grades 3-6.
Music has an amazing way of affecting our mood. And here, the Orchestra reveals many “tricks” composers use to make music sound spooky. In Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, variations in tempo and dynamics create the feeling of being chased by trolls; in Danse macabre, Saint-Saëns makes a xylophone sound like a skeleton rattling. This lively program, which features In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, also includes mysterious or scary music by composers as varied as J.S. Bach, Modest Mussorgsky, Gabriela Lena Frank and John Williams—who is represented by a segment from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Program
GRIEG
In the Hall of the Mountain King / 3 min
SAINT-SAËNS
Danse macabre / 7 min
LENA FRANK
Danza del Pueblo, from Requiem for a Magical America / 3 min
MUSSORGSKY (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov)
Night on Bald Mountain / 7 min
WILLIAMS
Hedwig’s Flight, from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / 3 min
CLYNE
Auguries, from Abstractions / 3 min
BACH (arr. Stokowski)
Toccata, from Toccata and Fugue in D minor / 4 min
BERLIOZ
Witches' Sabbath, from Symphonie fantastique / 7 min
Artists
- Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor
- In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
At a Glance
Join the Minnesota Orchestra and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre for an exploration of "spooky sounds" from bone-rattling brass to spine-tingling strings in this Relaxed Family Concert for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
- Our Relaxed Family Concerts take place in an inclusive environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music together with family and friends.
- Like all of our Relaxed Family Concerts, Symphony Spooktacular will feature a variety of music—some soft and some loud—because we know that different audience members like different levels of sound. Please review our preparatory materials (coming soon) to learn more about quiet spaces, noise-canceling headphones, and other options which are available for tailoring the concert experience to fit your family's preferences.
- Come early to participate in lobby activities, including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, make art, learn more about the program, and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
- Spanish translation services are available for this concert. Visit the Audience Services desk in the Orchestra Hall lobby for assistance.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor
- In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
Program
GRIEG
In the Hall of the Mountain King / 3 min
SAINT-SAËNS
Danse Macabre / 7 min
FRANK
Danza del Pueblo from Requiem for a Magical America / 3 min
MUSSORGSKY
Night on Bald Mountain / 6 min
WILLIAMS
Hedwig’s Flight, from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / 3 min
CLYNE
Auguries, from Abstractions / 3 min
BACH (arr. Stokowski)
Toccata, from Toccata and Fugue in D minor / 3 min
BERLIOZ
Witches’ Sabbath from Symphonie fantastique / 7 min
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor:
Additional support provided by OneNet Global
At a Glance
This concert is recommended for grades 3-6.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, a treasure trove of vivid orchestration and imagery, is a brilliant example of how composers use music to tell stories. Students will enjoy seeing how the music’s undulating rhythms, dramatic cymbal crashes and soulful instrumental solos inspire dancers from Black Label Movement to create thrilling new stories onstage. Also programmed are Rimsky-Korsakov’s dazzling Flight of the Bumblebee and new works that will prompt students to reach into their imaginations and create their own stories, based on music they’re hearing for the first time.
Program
KOUYOUMDJIAN
With Heart / 4 min
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Flight of the Bumblebee / 1 min
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship and The Kalandar Prince, from Scheherazade / 23 min
BACEWICZ
Overture for Orchestra / 6 min
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Black Label Movement
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
At a Glance
Enjoy performances by a musician or small ensemble from the Minnesota Orchestra and talented guest musicians from the audience during this concert experience designed for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
Did You Know?
- Concerts take place in a relaxed environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, and quiet spaces are available at all Sensory-Friendly Concerts, and attendees can also access online preparatory materials (available four weeks before the concert).
- Stand-alone chairs provide for flexible seating and open space is available for those who wish to sit on the floor or move around the room.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra musicians to be announced
- Lyndie Walker, host
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor
At a Glance
Learn about Czech composer Antonín Dvořák through the eyes of a young boy who discovers the magic behind his music with the help of one of Dvořák’s most famous students, Harry Burleigh, in this Relaxed Family Concert for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
- Our Relaxed Family Concerts take place in an inclusive environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music together with family and friends.
- Like all of our Relaxed Family Concerts, Discovering Dvořák will feature a variety of music—some soft and some loud—because we know that different audience members like different levels of sound. Please review our preparatory materials (coming soon) to learn more about quiet spaces, noise-canceling headphones, and other options which are available for tailoring the concert experience to fit your family's preferences.
- Come early to participate in lobby activities, including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, make art, learn more about the program, and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
- Spanish translation services are available for this concert. Visit the Audience Services desk in the Orchestra Hall lobby for assistance.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Osmo Vänskä, conductor
- Actors to be announced
Program
DVOŘÁK
Slavonic Dance #8-Opus 46
Legends No. 1
Serenade for Winds
Legends No. 2
Serenade for Strings
Humoreske
String Quintet No. 3
Symphony No. 8
Sonatina for Violin & Piano
String Quartet No. 12, American
Symphony No. 9, From the New World
Carnival Overture
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor:
Additional support provided by OneNet Global
Program
This concert is recommended for grades 1-3.
Here’s a brand new way to learn about the symphony orchestra: we’ll “fly” through the instruments, even peering inside them, thanks to high-definition video and cutting-edge animation. Guided by a magical sprite, we’ll see violin strings vibrate, brass valves slice the air and drumheads resonate—first separately, and then together, as the orchestra overcomes sectional differences in a spectacular finale that demonstrates “unity from diversity.” Composer and DJ Mason Bates collaborated with a sound designer and an animator to create Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra, which involves an extraordinary film as well as a live orchestra performance. Extra excitement and focus on the violin comes with a solo performance by Catherine Carson, the talented young winner of YPSCA’s 2020 Concerto Competition.
The film to Philharmonia Fantastique contains flashing, colored animated elements, and there are occasionally abrupt changes in the intensity of visual input. Individuals who are at risk for seizures and/or are susceptible to migraines or motion sickness may want to consider attending another Young People’s Concert. If you would like more information when deciding whether the performance will be a good fit for your group, we encourage you to view the Philharmonia Fantastique trailer or contact Minnesota Orchestra Group Sales at 612.371.5671.
Program
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR
Danse nègre, from African Suite / 6 min
SIBELIUS
Allegro, ma non tanto, from Violin Concerto / 7 min
BATES
Philharmonia Fantastique / 25 min
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, conductor
- Catherine Carson, violin
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
At a Glance
Explore the instruments inside and out with Mason Bates' Philharmonia Fantastique, a new concerto for orchestra accompanied by a film that combines live-action and animation, in this Relaxed Family Concert for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
- Our Relaxed Family Concerts take place in an inclusive environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music together with family and friends. Please review our preparatory materials (coming soon) to learn more about quiet spaces, noise-canceling headphones, and other options which are available for tailoring the concert experience to fit your family’s preferences.
- At the Minnesota Orchestra, we recognize that everyone’s sensory preferences and sensitivities are different. Philharmonia Fantastique features a mix of loud and soft music performed with a film that contains flashing, colored animated elements. There are occasionally abrupt changes in the intensity of visual and auditory input. This Relaxed Family Concert may not be suited for those who are especially sensitive to visual input, but others may especially enjoy this type of sensory experience!
- Individuals who are at risk for seizures and/or are susceptible to migraines or motion sickness may want to explore other options in our Relaxed Family Concert series. If you would like more information when deciding whether the performance will be a good fit for your family, we encourage you to view the Philharmonia Fantastique trailer or contact Ticket Services at 612-371-5656.
- Come early to participate in lobby activities, including opportunities to try orchestral instruments, engage in creative movement, make art, learn more about the program, and meet Minnesota Orchestra musicians.
- Spanish translation services are available for this concert. Visit the Audience Services desk in the Orchestra Hall lobby for assistance.
Program
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR
Danse Nègre from African Suite / 6 min
SIBELIUS
Allegro, ma non tanto, from Violin Concerto / 7 min
BATES
Philharmonia Fantastique / 25 min
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Sarah Hicks, host and conductor
- Catherine Carson, violin
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Sponsor:
Additional support provided by OneNet Global
At a Glance
This concert is recommended for grades 3-6.
Far from staying in an ivory tower, classical composers often take a stand on the issues of their day and thus shape the thoughts and actions of others. Students will learn how Sibelius’ rousing Finlandia was written to protest press censorship, while other composers have reflected on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., stood up for women’s voting rights and memorialized African American soldiers who died fighting for the Union in the Civil War. We hope that during the year, classes will be inspired to undertake service projects and provide photos of their work. Then, as this program concludes with Stravinsky’s triumphant Firebird, we’ll project images of how they’ve taken action in their communities, just like the composers heard here.
Program
BEETHOVEN
Overture to Fidelio / 6 min
SIBELIUS
Finlandia / 8 min
SMYTH
March of the Women, from Overture to The Boatswain's Mate / 5 min
STILL
In Memoriam: The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy / 6 min
ABELS
Dance for Martin's Dream / 8 min
STRAVINSKY
Finale from Firebird Suite (1919) / 4 min
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
At a Glance
Enjoy performances by a musician or small ensemble from the Minnesota Orchestra and talented guest musicians from the audience during this concert experience designed for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra musicians to be announced
- Lyndie Walker, host
Did You Know?
- Concerts take place in a relaxed environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, and quiet spaces are available at all Sensory-Friendly Concerts, and attendees can also access online preparatory materials (available four weeks before the concert).
- Stand-alone chairs provide for flexible seating and open space is available for those who wish to sit on the floor or move around the room.
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor
At a Glance
This concert is recommended for grades 3-6.
Here’s an intriguing question: How do composers put together musical building blocks—tonal and rhythmic patterns, combinations of harmonies, melodies, textures and more—to communicate with audiences? Students will find answers in the melodies Rossini used to mark separate sections of his high-spirited Barber of Seville Overture, and in Schubert’s way of introducing a melody, then breaking it down and moving it around within the orchestra. Taking Shostakovich as an example, percussionists will demonstrate the recurring patterns and accents, steady beats and bars that make up meter. Finally, students will show their own skills in recognizing all these elements in Chávez's Aztec-themed Sinfonía india.
Program
ROSSINI
Overture to The Barber of Seville / 7 min
SCHUBERT
Allegro moderato, from Symphony in B minor, Unfinished / 3 min
SHOSTAKOVICH
Allegro, from Symphony No. 10 / 4 min
CHÁVEZ
Sinfonía india / 11 min
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
At a Glance
Enjoy performances by a musician or small ensemble from the Minnesota Orchestra and talented guest musicians from the audience during this concert experience designed for audiences of all ages and abilities, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities.
Artists
- Minnesota Orchestra musicians to be announced
- Lyndie Walker, host
Did You Know?
- Concerts take place in a relaxed environment where audience members are welcome to be who they are and enjoy music with family and friends.
- Fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, and quiet spaces are available at all Sensory-Friendly Concerts, and attendees can also access online preparatory materials (available four weeks before the concert).
- Stand-alone chairs provide for flexible seating and open space is available for those who wish to sit on the floor or move around the room.
Accessibility at Orchestra Hall
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsor