MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ORCHESTRA
Founded in 1976, Mississippi Valley Orchestra is an excellent civic orchestra that plays incredible music east and west of the Mississippi River in the Minneapolis - St Paul metro area.
Upcoming Concert: Sarah Grimes Plays Coleridge-Taylor
October 17 (Sun), 3:00 at Augustana Lutheran Church, West St. Paul
Please note, for our audience's safety concert attendees should observe the following:
- All audience members must wear masks at all times when they are inside the concert venue.
- All audience members age 12 and older must either be fully vaccinated or be tested negative for Covid within 72 hours of the concert. Please be prepared to show a Vaccination Card or negative test result.
- Children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by an adult are permitted to attend and must be masked at all times.
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Mississippi Valley Orchestra welcomes back the first live audience since February 2020 with a celebratory concert. This concert will launch our season-long exploration of the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, with our concertmaster, Sarah Grimes, playing his gorgeous Romance in G major. The concert will open with a world premiere of Ryne Siesky's "Remnants," a socially poignant work in collaboration with ...And We Were Heard, an initiative for promoting underrepresented composers.
Also featured in this concert is eighteen-year-old Ryan Holt, the Winner of 2020 St. Paul Piano Teachers Association Concerto Competition. He will be playing a movement from Rachmaninoff's moving Second Piano Concerto. The concert will conclude with Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2, "Romantic," in memory of our Conductor Emeritus, Henry Charles Smith. Come to the concert and participate in our annual fundraiser where the winner gets the opportunity to conduct "Sleigh Ride" at our December holiday concert! Pre-concert talk starts at 2:15. |
Henry Charles Smith III, Conductor Emeritus (1931-2021)
Henry Charles Smith leading a concert with the Mississippi Valley Orchestra.
We are saddened to learn about the passing of Maestro Henry Charles Smith III on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Maestro Smith—Henry was the Artistic Advisor and then Artistic Director of the Mississippi Valley Orchestra from 2013 to 2016. After stepping down from that position, he remained very active in the organization, frequently attending the orchestra’s concerts and continuing to serve as our Conductor Emeritus.
Anyone who had the good fortune to interact with Henry will remember the many stories he told about his time as Resident Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra and as the Principal Trombonist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, under Eugene Ormandy. In addition to conducting orchestras in Minnesota, he conducted many major orchestras around the country. As a trombone player he made a series of recordings for solo trombone, baritone, and bass trumpet, that display his musicality and virtuosity. He also won a Grammy Award in 1969 for a famous recording of Gabrieli canzonas with the brass players from the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra.
He brought a wealth of invaluable experience to MVO and elevated the orchestra’s artistic standards to new heights.
But perhaps more importantly, Henry is most remembered as being the epitome of a gentleman. He was always the bigger person in the room and always lived up to the highest moral compass. His humility and love of music increased those capacities in every musician in the orchestra. He made everyone feel important. To quote one of our musicians: “he would have been a wonderful leader in any field he chose.” Luckily, he chose music, and even luckier for us, he led MVO.
We will remember Henry’s lessons and continue to make more beautiful music in his honor. He will be deeply missed.
To learn more about Henry and MVO: www.minnpost.com/arts-culture/2015/04/mississippi-valley-orchestras-henry-charles-smith-truly-musicians-conductor/
Anyone who had the good fortune to interact with Henry will remember the many stories he told about his time as Resident Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra and as the Principal Trombonist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, under Eugene Ormandy. In addition to conducting orchestras in Minnesota, he conducted many major orchestras around the country. As a trombone player he made a series of recordings for solo trombone, baritone, and bass trumpet, that display his musicality and virtuosity. He also won a Grammy Award in 1969 for a famous recording of Gabrieli canzonas with the brass players from the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra.
He brought a wealth of invaluable experience to MVO and elevated the orchestra’s artistic standards to new heights.
But perhaps more importantly, Henry is most remembered as being the epitome of a gentleman. He was always the bigger person in the room and always lived up to the highest moral compass. His humility and love of music increased those capacities in every musician in the orchestra. He made everyone feel important. To quote one of our musicians: “he would have been a wonderful leader in any field he chose.” Luckily, he chose music, and even luckier for us, he led MVO.
We will remember Henry’s lessons and continue to make more beautiful music in his honor. He will be deeply missed.
To learn more about Henry and MVO: www.minnpost.com/arts-culture/2015/04/mississippi-valley-orchestras-henry-charles-smith-truly-musicians-conductor/
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Announcement: MVO 2021-2022 SEASON!
Mississippi Valley Orchestra is returning in October 2021 with its full force! The season celebrates the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor in every concert, features two SPPTA piano performances (of course!), wonderful new and returning soloists, a violin solo with our own Sarah Grimes, two world premieres, and an opera. Find out why we're so excited about the season's repertoire and fantastic guest artists HERE! |
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