For Immediate Release

A NEW SEASON OF THIS IS MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA BROADCASTS WILL AIR ON MINNESOTA PBS BEGINNING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6

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 

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Minnesota Orchestra Press Contacts

Gwen Pappas, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations | gpappas@mnorch.org

Alexandra Robinson, Content and Communications Manager | arobinson@mnorch.org

Shuman Public Relations

Lisa Jaehnig | lisa@shuman-pr.com 

Tru Pierone | tru@shuman-pr.com