The BSO will hold in-person auditions on the evening of Monday, December 8, 2025. Successful candidates will start in January 2026.

First-round video auditions are due by November 24 and successful candidates will be informed of the in-person audition by December 1.

2025 Winter Auditions

Bloomington Civic Plaza

As the BSO continues to imagine a welcome spring after one of Minnesota’s frigid winters, we open the third concert of the season with Li Huanzhi’s Spring Festival Overture, a work that is becoming familiar to concertgoers across the world. Bright and colorful, it will set your heart in the right mood to welcome this year’s MNSOTA Mary West Solo Competition Grand Prize winner, whose performance will follow immediately afterward.

Rounding out our concert of sheer optimism will be the so-called “Italian” Symphony in A Major by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Originally conceived as “Blue Skies in A Major,” Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 will warm your heart with joyous melodies and a singular aspect of composition that was unprecedented. What is it? Come and all will be revealed.

Exuberance!

Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center

Take a walk with the BSO! For this concert, we will show our appreciation and thanks for nature’s bounty by playing two well-known and beloved works that celebrate the outdoors. First, we’ll envision the rolling hills and fields of the harvest with music from the ballet repertoire through American composer Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. After intermission, settle in for another view of the beauty of nature in all its peace and ferocity as the BSO performs the legendary “Pastoral” Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. In his Sixth Symphony in F Major, Beethoven explores good feelings, calm, and the outright fear of a mighty storm in the five movements that make up this expression of love for the outdoors that sustained his soul during some of his darkest personal moments.

Musical Countrysides

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Experience a rollercoaster ride of emotions as the BSO launches its 62nd concert season, its eleventh with Music Director Manny Laureano. In the opening concert of the 2024-25 season, we will open with the irreverent and witty Variations on America, by Charles Ives, which will leave you chuckling.  The BSO will showcase its beloved concertmaster, Michael Sutton, as he interprets the lovely The Lark Ascending, written by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. This piece is guaranteed to provide you with a moment of wonder, as you imagine a bird in flight. After intermission, your orchestra will present the pinnacle of the Romantic period as only Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky could provide, in his magnificent Symphony No. 5 in E Minor.

Soaring with Tchaikovsky

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Join us for an extraordinary musical journey with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) as they present "Out of This World" on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 3 p.m. This remarkable concert, held at the Gideon Ives Auditorium at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center in Bloomington, marks the grand finale of the BSO's sixty-first season.

Under the baton of esteemed Music Director & Conductor Manny Laureano, the orchestra will embark on a celestial exploration beginning with Leonard Bernstein's iconic Overture to West Side Story, arranged by Maurice Peress. The performance will then showcase the exceptional talent of violist Celine Bares, this year's Grand Prize Winner of the MNSOTA Mary West Solo Competition, performing Paul Hindemith's Zwischen Berg und tiefem Tal from Der Schwanendreher.

The journey continues with Gustav Holst's majestic The Planets, Op. 32, a suite that promises to transport the audience through the solar system with its stirring melodies and dramatic themes. This performance will be further enriched by the treble voices from the Normandale College Concert Choir and Angelica Encore Choral Ensemble, adding a sublime choral dimension to Holst's masterpiece.

The concert will take place at the Gideon Ives Auditorium, located at 11411 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington, with free parking available and ADA accessibility ensured. While in-person tickets are sold out due to high demand, we are delighted to offer a livestream option. For $15, you can enjoy live concert performance access on the day of the event and on-demand access for two weeks following the concert.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the BSO's inspirational performances of orchestral music, celebrating over 60 years of musical excellence in the Twin Cities. For livestream tickets and more information, please visit our website.

Out of This World

Join us on February 25, 2024, for a mesmerizing evening as the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) presents "Celebrating the Americas" at the Gideon Ives Auditorium within the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. This special concert, under the baton of esteemed Music Director & Conductor Manny Laureano, with the talented Clare Longendyke on piano, promises an unforgettable journey through the rich tapestry of American orchestral music.

The evening's program features an inspiring selection of works that highlight the diversity and vibrancy of the Americas. Experience the seductive rhythms of Arturo Márquez's Danzón No. 2, a premiere performance that showcases the musical heritage of Mexico. Revel in the iconic melodies of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, brought to life by Clare Longendyke's exquisite piano performance. The concert will conclude with Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, "Romantic," a piece renowned for its lush harmonies and emotional depth, which has influenced generations of composers, including John Williams.

The BSO, a cornerstone of the Twin Cities' musical community for over 60 years, continues its mission to bring music lovers and accomplished musicians together for inspirational performances. "Celebrating the Americas" is a testament to this mission, expanding the orchestra's commitment to American composers and including influential works from North America.

The concert will take place at the Gideon Ives Auditorium, located at 11411 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington, with free parking available and full ADA accessibility. Tickets are available for advance purchase, with prices at $17 for adults and $14 for seniors (62+), and at the door for $19 for adults and $16 for seniors, subject to availability. Premium seating is offered at $25 per ticket, with limited availability. Students can enjoy the concert for free with a valid ID.

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the rich musical heritage of the Americas with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. Reserve your seats now and be part of an evening that promises to be both enlightening and exhilarating.

Celebrating the Americas!

Join us on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 3 p.m. for a captivating afternoon with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) as we present "Favorites: Yours, Mine, and Ours" at the Schneider Theater, located in the Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, Minnesota. This special concert, under the direction of Music Director & Conductor Manny Laureano, with Michael Sutton as violin soloist and conductor, celebrates the BSO's 60th Anniversary and promises an unforgettable experience of classical music.

The program features a selection of beloved orchestral works that have resonated with audiences and musicians alike. Highlights include Richard Wagner's Overture to Rienzi, Johann Sebastian Bach's Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042 with Michael Sutton as the soloist, Morton Gould's Pavane from Symphonette No. 2, Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol, op. 34. These pieces promise to enchant the audience, expanding your repertoire of hummable classics.

Following the concert, attendees are invited to a reception celebrating the BSO's 60 years of musical excellence. This event not only honors the orchestra's rich history but also looks forward to its future contributions to the cultural landscape.

Tickets are available for advance purchase, with standard tickets priced at $17 for adults and $14 for seniors (62+), and at the door for $19 for adults and $16 for seniors, subject to availability. Premium seating is available for $25 per ticket, with limited availability. Students can enjoy the concert for free with a valid ID. For an enhanced experience, VIP packages are offered at $60, including two best-of-house seats, name badges, stage acknowledgment, and a BSO thermal coffee mug.

The Schneider Theater offers free parking and is fully ADA accessible, ensuring a comfortable and inclusive experience for all guests. For more information on ticket purchases, please visit the Bloomington Box Office online, call 952-563-8545, or visit in person at 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington.

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the power of music with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra's "Favorites: Yours, Mine, and Ours."

Favorites: Yours, Mine, and Ours

This concert is your opportunity to walk through time with the BSO! We will honor the BSO’s past by bringing former Music Director Steven Amundson to the podium to open the program with one of his own works, Handprints, that was written to honor the BSO’s 50th anniversary. Amundson will then lead the orchestra through the Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by Michael Gilbertson, with current Music Director Manny Laureano taking the soloist’s spotlight! After intermission, we’ll reach back into time by performing the First Symphony in C Minor of Johannes Brahms, as Maestro Laureano takes the podium as conductor.

Past, Present, and Future

In this concert, Minnesota composer Shelley Hanson paints a sonic portrait of a walk through time and space, with her piece dedicated to the people of New York City, Groove. After we hear Ruth Conry, winner of this year’s MNSOTA Mary West Solo Competition, we’ll experience America through the eyes of Antonín Dvoràk, who was so impressed with the sights and sounds that touched him in his travels across our land through his Ninth Symphony, From the New World.

Events in Bloomington, MN

2025 Winter Auditions

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Exuberance!

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Musical Countrysides

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Soaring with Tchaikovsky

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

Out of This World

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Celebrating the Americas!...

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Favorites: Yours, Mine, a...

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Past, Present, and Future...

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

From the New World

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra