Minnesota Orchestra Classical Concert Listings

This summer, Sarah Hicks leads the Minnesota Orchestra in a salute to composer John Williams, living legend of Hollywood! This all-new program features some of Williamsʼ most beloved and unforgettable music of the silver screen, including E.T., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more.

This summer, Sarah Hicks leads the Minnesota Orchestra in a salute to composer John Williams, living legend of Hollywood! This all-new program features some of Williamsʼ most beloved and unforgettable music of the silver screen, including E.T., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more.

This summer, Sarah Hicks leads the Minnesota Orchestra in a salute to composer John Williams, living legend of Hollywood! This all-new program features some of Williamsʼ most beloved and unforgettable music of the silver screen, including E.T., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more.

Steeped in the sun-soaked sounds of 1960s tiki lounge music and the gently hypnotic pulse of bossa nova, A Night in the Tropics unfolds in waves of rhythm, color and sparkle. You’ll be transported to tropical climes by sultry melodies and evocative rhythms in a program that drifts from easy sway to bursts of virtuosic energy, creating a sound world that feels both relaxed and electric. Hear music inspired by and from Brazil, Cuba, Hawaii and other sun-drenched locales in this matinee concert featuring original music by Minnesota Orchestra trumpeter Charles Lazarus, music made famous by the Buena Vista Social Club and a tribute to bossa nova icon Antônio Carlos Jobim.

Grammy® Award-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter and composer Chris Thile brings his singular artistry to the Minnesota Orchestra in ATTENTION! , his playfully bold autobiographical work for mandolinist and orchestra. Part narrative song cycle, part musical self-portrait, ATTENTION! blends virtuosity, humor and storytelling. Whether you know Thile from Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, or from his tenure as host of public radio’s Live from Here , you’ll be dazzled by his wit, invention and restless imagination.

Grammy® Award-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter and composer Chris Thile brings his singular artistry to the Minnesota Orchestra in ATTENTION! , his playfully bold autobiographical work for mandolinist and orchestra. Part narrative song cycle, part musical self-portrait, ATTENTION! blends virtuosity, humor and storytelling. Whether you know Thile from Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, or from his tenure as host of public radio’s Live from Here , you’ll be dazzled by his wit, invention and restless imagination.

Countertenor John Holiday returns to Orchestra Hall to perform Carlos Simon’s orchestral song cycle Songs of Separation , a setting of texts by the 13th-century Persian Sufi mystic and poet Rūmī that meditates on loss, longing and the human experience of separation. Tracing a deeply expressive emotional arc—from grief and sorrow toward hope and affirmation—the work is brought vividly to life by Holiday, whose extraordinary, genre-defying voice has been praised by audiences and critics alike for its power, nuance and unmistakable individuality.

Few artists move as fluently between opera, classical, gospel, jazz and popular music as countertenor John Holiday. Renowned for his commanding artistry and unmistakable presence, Holiday has appeared in leading roles on opera stages around the world, captivating audiences with performances of remarkable intensity and expressive range. Joined by celebrated Twin Cities vocalists Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele, Holiday and the Minnesota Orchestra bring the summer festival to a close with a vibrant program drawn from the American Songbook, featuring music by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday and more.