The Minnesota Orchestra announced the schedule today for its 2017-18 Symphonic Adventures for High Schools program, beginning with a September 15 concert led by Music Director Osmo Vänskä. “Symphonic Adventures” brings the entire Orchestra to metro-area high schools for dynamic, one-hour concerts designed for secondary students. Vänskä will lead the first performance this season at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, conducting Stravinsky’s Suite from The Firebird. The Orchestra’s new Assistant Conductor Akiko Fujimoto will conduct Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Plymouth on February 20, 2018. Associate Conductor Roderick Cox caps the Symphonic Adventures season with a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony at Coon Rapids High School – Center for Biomedical Science and Engineering on April 17, 2018. Each Symphonic Adventures program is hosted by Orchestra violist Sam Bergman, who will introduce students to the music, musicians and key concepts before the symphonic work is performed.

The Symphonic Adventures program was originally created and implemented by Minnesota Orchestra musicians in 2013 and was later adopted by the Minnesota Orchestra as a key companion to Young People’s Concerts, which are designed primarily to introduce elementary-aged students to classical music via field trips to Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. With secondary school programming now formalized, Minnesota Orchestra education programs offer musical connections with students over the complete arc of their education, from preschool to college.

"A key element of this program is that the Orchestra is hosted in the high schools' home auditoriums, " said Director of Education and Community Engagement Jessica Leibfried. "Not only does the Orchestra get a chance to play where students are already gathered, but, often, students will also assist our crew with lighting and sound design or other concert logistics at each performance. It's a wonderful thing to see students and professionals interact in multiple ways at these concerts—from stage setup to the post-concert Q&A."

The project is partially funded through The Bellwether Fund, a fund established by the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra to help support education and community programming.

About the Minnesota Orchestra

Led by Music Director Osmo Vänskä, the Minnesota Orchestra is recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras. Founded in 1903, it performs nearly 175 concerts each year, with 300,000 attending. It is heard widely through award-winning recordings—including a Sibelius album that won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance—as well as through weekly radio broadcasts and regular international tours, including a 2015 historic visit to Cuba. The Orchestra launched its flagship education program, Young People’s Concerts, in 1911 and has produced these concerts for students ever since. Today, Minnesota Orchestra Education and Engagement programs additionally connect with student and adult music lovers through programs such as Family Concerts, Side-by-Side rehearsals, Orchestra Hall Plus (OH+), the Student Ambassador program and Common Chords activities throughout Greater Minnesota.

Minnesota Orchestra

Symphonic Adventures

EAST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Friday, September 15, 2017, 10 a.m.

Minnesota Orchestra

Osmo Vänskä, conductor

BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture

RAVEL Pavane pour une infante défunte

STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird

ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG HIGH SCHOOL

Tuesday, February 20, 2018, Time TBD

Minnesota Orchestra

Akiko Fujimoto, conductor

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

COON RAPIDS HIGH SCHOOL

Tuesday, April 17, 2018, Time TBD

Minnesota Orchestra

Roderick Cox, conductor

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6