St. Olaf Band & St. Olaf Jazz: The St. Olaf College Music Festival
April 18, 2025 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
St. Olaf Band & St. Olaf Jazz: The St. Olaf College Music Festival
The St. Olaf Band and St. Olaf Jazz share the stage for a celebratory evening of music at Orchestra Hall, honoring St. Olaf College’s 150th anniversary. This is the first concert of an unforgettable two-night music event at Minneapolis’ iconic Orchestra Hall, showcasing the extraordinary talents of the St. Olaf Band and St. Olaf Jazz Band on Friday, April 18, and the St. Olaf Choir and St. Olaf Orchestra on Saturday, April 19.
This celebration commemorates 150 years of St. Olaf College’s rich musical tradition and promises a spectacular journey through a diverse repertoire, blending classical masterpieces, vibrant jazz, and exhilarating modern compositions.
About the Artists:
The St. Olaf Band, conducted by Henry L. Dorn, is the oldest musical ensemble at St. Olaf College. Founded in 1891, the ensemble performs the very best compositions and transcriptions for symphonic band, producing an exciting, crowd-pleasing style, and was dubbed “one of America’s preeminent bands” by The New Yorker.
The St. Olaf Jazz Band, conducted by Joseph L. Jefferson, is the premier large jazz ensemble at St. Olaf College. They were voted the “Best College or University Big Band” by Downbeat Magazine in May 2011, and was awarded “Outstanding Performance by Large Undergraduate Jazz Ensemble” by the publication in 2019. This versatile group performs a variety of musical styles including swing, be-bop, funk, fusion, salsa, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and New Orleans grooves.
