“One of Rochester’s longest-running major cultural institutions, the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, is about the celebrate its 100th season,” reads an unsigned editorial in Tuesday’s (10/8) Post-Bulletin (Rochester, Minnesota). “The symphony, like so many other features of this community, was founded and initially funded by Drs. Charlie and Will Mayo [who] recognized that in order to attract the top physicians and scientists to this outpost on the prairie, it would help to have a first-class orchestra. The first concert of what was called the Philharmonia of Rochester took place … on New Year’s Day 1920. [Today,] musicians are not only from Rochester, but commute from the Twin Cities and throughout southeastern Minnesota to play under conductor Jere Lantz, who later this season marks 40 years with the orchestra…. The first concerts this weekend will feature two pieces of music played at that first performance on Jan. 1, 1920: ‘Overture to Phedre’ by Jules Massenet, and ‘Last Spring’ by Edvard Grieg. Also on the program are Aaron Copland’s timeless music for ‘Our Town’ [and] a commissioned piece, ‘The Beauty That Remains,’ by Minnesota composer Shelly Hanson…. Throughout the coming season, the orchestra will reflect, musically, on Rochester and the orchestra’s connection to its hometown.”
Posted October 9, 2019
