| A NEW SEASON OF THIS IS MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA BROADCASTS WILL AIR ON MINNESOTA PBS BEGINNING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 |
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| Photo Credit: Travis Anderson |
| Public broadcaster will share four concerts across the state featuring pianists Isata Kanneh-Mason and Jon Kimura Parker, and violinists Veronika Eberle and Sergey Khachatryan Concerts will also be livestreamed and available on demand on the Orchestra’s YouTube channel |
| MINNEAPOLIS (September 15, 2026) — TV and streaming audiences will enjoy best-seat-in-the-house access to a new collection of Minnesota Orchestra performances this season. This Is Minnesota Orchestra—the series that shares live Minnesota Orchestra concerts on YouTube and Minnesota PBS—returns for a sixth consecutive year on Friday, November 6, at 8 p.m. Led by Music Director Thomas Søndergård, that concert will feature Sibelius’ Second Symphony and Jon Kimura Parker in Anders Hillborg’s Second Piano Concerto, all part of the Orchestra’s Nordic Soundscapes festival. The latest season of the Upper Midwest Emmy Award-winning series will feature three additional live concert broadcasts beyond the November 6 performance. The other programs are: Lintu Conducts Tchaikovsky and Corigliano, featuring Sergey Khachatryan in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Jan 22, 2027) Bihlmaier Conducts Beethoven No. 7, spotlighting conductor Anja Bihlmaier and violinist Veronika Eberle (April 9, 2027) Søndergård Conducts Gershwin and Marsalis, featuring Isata Kanneh-Mason in the Gershwin Piano Concerto in F (May 14, 2027) Each broadcast from the Lindahl Auditorium in Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall includes a high-quality audio mix from YourClassical MPR, as well as artist interviews and behind-the-scenes segments that bring audiences closer to the music and music-makers. Emceed by a rotating cast of hosts, each broadcast is also streamed live and available for on-demand viewing on the Orchestra’s YouTube channel. “We bring viewers straight into the live concert experience—giving them a unique view of what is happening onstage, backstage and in the lives of the performers,” says Minnesota Orchestra Director of Broadcasts and Digital Initiatives Ashleigh Rowe. “Our aim is to open access to the music, the musicians and Orchestra Hall itself to as many people as possible. We are thankful that through our partnership with Minnesota PBS audiences across the state can tune in and participate in a live Friday night Minnesota Orchestra experience.” This Is Minnesota Orchestra debuted on Minnesota PBS in 2020 as a way for the Orchestra to offer performances during the pandemic. In the years since, the series has become a staple of the organization’s offerings, bringing the Orchestra to audiences in every corner of the state and across the globe. More than 50 two-hour performances have been produced, each with nearly 1,000 camera cues capturing the energy, excitement and emotion of live music by the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra. |
| ON DEMAND, ON YOUTUBE Several weeks after each live television broadcast, This Is Minnesota Orchestra performances become available for on-demand access on YouTube. Without contending with paywalls or passwords, audiences can find the current season of This Is Minnesota Orchestra concerts on the Orchestra’s YouTube channel, as well as an archived collection of full-length concerts from previous years, performance and interview excerpts, and special made-for-digital content. It’s part of an ongoing initiative to make access to the Orchestra’s digital offerings free and easy. The Orchestra’s YouTube channel is also home to: Know the Score – A classical music game show hosted by violinist Michael Sutton Listening Project – A playlist of performances featuring compositions from historically underrepresented composers Musician Portraits – Behind-the-curtain portraits of Minnesota Orchestra players The Violin is the Teacher – An interview with violinist James Ehnes, conducted by MinnOrch violinist Emily Switzer How To Watch This Is Minnesota Orchestra View live on Minnesota PBS (Channel 2 in the Twin Cities) on designated concert days (see below)View live on the Minnesota Orchestra’s YouTube channel on designated concert days (see below)View archived concerts on demand at the Minesota Orchestra’s YouTube Channel or on minnesotapbs.org – always free |
2026-27 This Is Minnesota Orchestra Broadcasts/Livestreams
SØNDERGÅRD, PARKER AND SIBELIUS
Friday, November 6, 2026, 8 p.m.
Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Brian Newhouse, broadcast host
GRIEG ——————– Selections from Norwegian Dances
HILLBORG ————— Piano Concerto No. 2, MAX Concerto
SIBELIUS —————–Symphony No. 2
LINTU CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY AND CORIGLIANO
Friday, January 22, 2027, 8 p.m.
Minnesota Orchestra
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Sergey Khachatryan, violin
Sarah Hicks, broadcast host
TCHAIKOVSKY ——— Violin Concerto
CORIGLIANO ———— Symphony No. 1
BIHLMAIER CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN NO. 7
Friday, April 9, 2027, 8 p.m.
Minnesota Orchestra
Anja Bihlmaier, conductor
Veronika Eberle, violin
Ariana Kim, broadcast host
WAGNER —————- Overture to Tannhäuser
HARTMANN ————- Concerto funebre
BEETHOVEN ———— Symphony No. 7
SØNDERGÅRD CONDUCTS GERSHWIN AND MARSALIS
Friday, May 14, 2027, 8 p.m.
Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Brian Newhouse, broadcast host
SIMON ———————– Hellfighters’ Blues
GERSHWIN —————- Concerto in F
MARSALIS —————– Concerto for Orchestra