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ALEXANDRIA — The St. Olaf Orchestra, conducted by Steven Amundson, will perform in Alexandria at Alexandria Area High School on Monday, May 30 at 7 p.m. as part of its 2022 Midwest Tour.
The concert is free for all students and $10 for adults. Tickets may be purchased at stolaf.edu/tickets . Audience members must wear a mask for the duration of the concert. The St. Olaf Orchestra is fully vaccinated and will wear masks throughout the performance.
The orchestra’s summer tour program will feature alumni composer Matthew Peterson’s "Symphony No. 1: The Singing Wilderness," which was inspired by the natural wonders of Northern Minnesota depicted in Sigurd Olsen’s book of the same name. The program will also include orchestral favorites including Stravinsky’s "Firebird," Shostakovich’s "Festive Overture" and Arturo Márquez’s "Danzon No. 2."
Called “one of the best college orchestras in the nation” by Time magazine’s Richard Ostling, the St. Olaf Orchestra is known for its passionate music-making and professional-level performances. The tour marks Steven Amundson’s last, as he will retire at the end of the tour after 40 years as conductor of the St. Olaf Orchestra. Amundson led the ensemble to its national and international recognition, including two American Prize awards.
“Touring with the St. Olaf Orchestra is a great and long tradition,” Amundson said in a press release. “It gives the students and me a chance to experience a progressively deeper and richer musical experience each day of our journey. The orchestra understands that some of the most valuable qualities of a fantastic performance are found not only in a high level of excellence, but also in seeking a transformative musical experience.”
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The St. Olaf Orchestra was recently named the winner of the 2018/2019 American Prize for Orchestra Performance among colleges and universities for the second time. In 2019, the St. Olaf Orchestra made their Carnegie Hall debut, performing with world-renowned violinist, Sarah Chang.
In addition to performing throughout the United States, the orchestra has been broadcast on PBS and public radio stations nationwide as part of the acclaimed St. Olaf Christmas Festival. The St. Olaf Orchestra has toured internationally in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, China, Uruguay, and Argentina. Most recently, they traveled to Norway in the spring of 2019 on a joint tour with the St. Olaf Choir.
Visit wp.stolaf.edu/stolaf-orch/ for more information on the orchestra.
