Hello FRIENDS – I am honored to be stepping into the role as President of the FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra.  I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Roma Calatayud-Stocks for her leadership last season, and to the 2023-24 Board of Directors, staff, volunteers and musicians for all their hard work during our historic and very successful 75th year.

As we move forward, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new website platform.  I encourage you to take a moment to look around the new platform which just launched on September 1.  We have completely revised the website to improve your experience and to make it easier for you to find the information you are looking for, buy tickets for events, sign up for Kinder Konzerts, and provide support for our programs through memberships and donations.  This newsletter contains an instructional video which will walk you through the process of setting up your account on this new platform.

While you are there, please take a moment to renew your membership for this new year.  September is membership renewal month and thank you in advance for considering your membership level. Memberships fund all our educational programs including the award-winning Kinder Konzerts which introduce children to the beauty and artistry of orchestral music.

If you are not a current member of FRIENDS, would you please consider joining?   Your membership is a 100% tax-deductible donation to FRIENDS, a 501(c)(3) non-profit and includes member benefits such as discounted tickets to concerts and FRIENDS events.  Where else can you have a year of enjoyable social engagement and learning, while at the same time, funding the incredible community impact that our members do.  It's definitely an example of having FUN while doing GOOD.

If you are looking to get more involved, we’d love to have you join our team of volunteers. Whether you have a few hours to spare or are looking for more involved opportunities, there’s a place for you with us. See below for information on how to sign up and register for guide training on October 4.  It's an easy commitment that will be the best day of your month.  If you've never seen the magic of a Kinder Konzert or handed a violin to a small child and watched their face light up as they draw the bow across the strings--I can tell you the joy is palpable!

This season, our Kinder Konzerts in the Hall will teach children to think outside the box and overcome challenges through the book “Perfect Square”, by Michael Hall with music composed by Minnesota Orchestra’s very own Chuck Lazarus and performed by a wonderful group of Minnesota Orchestra musicians.  We are deeply grateful to the author, the publisher, Harper-Collins, and to the volunteers and musicians for their time and talent.

In addition to our children’s programs, we love to bring our community of FRIENDS together and this year we will once again have many events for members and passionate fans of the Minnesota Orchestra.  Our first FRIENDS CONNECT gathering will be at the Season Opening concert on September 20.  Look for us on the Lindahl Terrace, weather permitting.

And please mark your calendar on October 8 for our membership luncheon and annual meeting where we will be sharing updates and celebrating achievements together. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring a friend for lunch and introduce them to the organization. Details are below and on the website.  I hope you'll join us.

I’m really looking forward to the coming year.  Let’s make music, make memories, make FRIENDS and make a difference together. See you soon!

Mary Sumners

President, FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra