MINNESOTA ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION

THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA IS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES IN MINNESOTA AND AROUND THE WORLD, AS WELL AS FOR CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED RECORDINGS, LIVESTREAMS, AND RADIO AND TV BROADCASTS, AND A LONGTIME COMMITMENT TO STATE-WIDE MUSIC EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS.THE 2023-24 SEASON WAS A CELEBRATORY YEAR IN WHICH THE ORCHESTRA INTRODUCED DANISH CONDUCTOR THOMAS SONDERGARD AS THE ORGANIZATION'S 11TH MUSIC DIRECTOR; FEATURED DEBUT PERFORMANCES WITH WIDE-RANGING ARTISTS FROM PIANIST YUJA WANG AND SAXOPHONE PLAYER STEVEN BANKS TO HIP-HOP STAR NUR-D; COMPLETED ITS RECORDING CYCLE OF THE TEN MAHLER SYMPHONIES; AND OFFERED ITS FIRST-EVER SIDE-BY-SDE EXPERIENCE WITH MUSIC EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. IN TOTAL, THE ORCHESTRA OFFERED 143 TICKETED AND FREE CONCERTS/EVENTS DURING THE 2023-24 SEASON WITH NEARLY 250,000 GUESTS ATTENDING. THE ORCHESTRA CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH TWIN CITIES PBS AND YOURCLASSICAL MPR TO CREATE THE BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM SERIES THIS IS MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA. ACROSS THE SEASON THE ORCHESTRA PRODUCED FOUR LIVE CONCERTS FOR AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD AND DEBUTED THEM FREE OF CHARGE ON TV, RADIO AND ONLINE STREAMING; THESE DIGITAL CONCERTS RECEIVED NEARLY 170,000 VIEWS DURING THE 2023-24 SEASON. IN TOTAL, THE ORCHESTRA'S RADIO BROADCASTS AND AUDIO STREAMING REACHED MORE THAN 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE.MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS WELCOMED 28,242 STUDENTS FROM 240 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE TO EXPERIENCE CLASSICAL MUSIC AT ORCHESTRA HALL. 45% OF THOSE STUDENTS ATTENDED FOR FREE THANKS TO DONOR UNDERWRITING, WHILE THE OTHERS RECEIVED THEIR TICKETS FOR JUST $6.25. THE ORCHESTRA'S RELAXED FAMILY CONCERTS AND SENSORY-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS REACHED THOUSANDS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR PARENTS, INCLUDING AT A JANUARY 2024 FAMILY CONCERT THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY MUSIC DIRECTOR THOMAS SONDERGARD. AN ADDITIONAL 7,800 YOUNG PEOPLE ATTENDED CONCERTS FOR FREE ALONGSIDE THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES, AS PART OF THE ORCHESTRA'S HALL PASS PROGRAM. IN APRIL, THE ORCHESTRA OFFERED ITS FIRST EDUCATOR SIDE BY SIDE EXPERIENCE, IN WHICH 54 MUSIC EDUCATORS FROM 37 CITIES AROUND THE STATE JOINED THOMAS SONDERGARD AND THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA ONSTAGE FOR TWO REHEARSALS AND TWO CONCERTS. THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORK OF MUSIC EDUCATORS AND TO HELP THEM ADVOCATE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF STATE-WIDE MUSIC PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS. IN JULY THE ORCHESTRA PRESENTED SUMMER AT ORCHESTRA HALL, A MULTI-WEEK FESTIVAL THAT BROUGHT AUDIENCES DOWNTOWN TO EXPLORE MUSIC OF THE 1920S AND TO LAUNCH THE CELEBRATION OF ORCHESTRA HALL'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, ALL CURATED BY PIANIST AND CREATIVE PARTNER JON KIMURA PARKER. WHETHER PERFORMING AT ORCHESTRA HALL, IN GREATER MINNESOTA OR ON A DIGITAL PLATFORM, THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA REMAINS COMMITTED TO BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH MUSIC.