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. The Orchestra's 2023-24 season includes three Symphony in 60 concerts, including Werewolf by Night on October 4, Beethoven Symphony No. 8 on April 20, 2024, and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 on May 11, 2024. 

Musicians Around Town

On Sunday, January 21, at 2 p.m. at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, the Isles Ensemble, which includes Minnesota Orchestra violist Kenneth Freed, one-year contracted violinist Natalia Moiseeva and former Assistant Concertmaster Stephanie Arado, among other musicians, will perform “All In Good Fun,” a program exploring what happens when composers let loose and journey into the world of humor, pranks and games, featuring a program of lighthearted surprises by Haydn, Mozart, Dvořák, Dohnányi and PDQ Bach.

On Sunday, February 25, at 3 p.m. at Gideon Ives Auditorium at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center in Bloomington, Minnesota Orchestra Principal Trumpet Manny Laureano will lead the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra in “Celebrating the Americas,” a program of music by Arturo Márquee, George Gershwin and Howard Hanson, with pianist Clare Longendyke as soloist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

On Sunday, February 25, at 4 p.m. at MacPhail Center for Music’s Antonello Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota Orchestra violinist Natsuki Kumagai, Associate Principal Viola Marlea Simpson and cellist Pitnarry Shin, joined by two former Orchestra musicians, violinist Stephanie Arado and violist Sabina Thatcher, will perform a concert of music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Billy Childs and Johannes Brahms with the Bakken Ensemble.

On Sunday, April 7, at 4 p.m. at MacPhail Center for Music’s Antonello Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota Orchestra cellist Pitnarry Shin, joined by two former Orchestra musicians, violinist Stephanie Arado and violist Sabina Thatcher, along with pianist Tim Lovelace and violist Daniel Orsen, will perform a concert of music by Kaija Saariaho, Tōru Takemitsu, Stephen Hartke and Camille Saint-Saëns with the Bakken Ensemble.

On Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. at Gideon Ives Auditorium at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center in Bloomington, Minnesota Orchestra Principal Trumpet Manny Laureano will lead the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra in “Out of this World,” a program of music by Leonard Bernstein and Gustav Holst. The orchestra will be joined by the Normandale College Concert Choir, Angelica Encore Choral Ensemble and the winner of the MNSOTA Mary West Solo Competition.