A First Look at a Season of Discovery

• Debra Kaye — Rising Up (from our April concerts, Rooted and Rising)

• Florence Price — Summer Moon (from our March concerts, DNA)

• Annie Gosfield — The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon (from our March concerts, DNA)

• Aleksandra Vrebalov — Pannonia Boundless (from our November concerts, Boundless)

• Gabriela Ortiz — Aroma Foliado (from our November concerts, Boundless)

Celebrate the prologue of Mill City String Quartet's 20th Anniversary Season with an afternoon of musical discovery.

This special preview concert offers a first look at the stories, cultures, and voices that will shape our milestone season. You'll hear selections from each of our three concert programs from the hopeful spirit of Debra Kaye's Rising Up, featured in our April concerts Rooted and Rising, to the vibrant, border-crossing sounds of our November programs Boundless, and the imaginative musical landscapes explored in our March concerts DNA.

Together, these works reflect the heart of Mill City String Quartet's artistic mission: championing diverse voices, celebrating living composers alongside beloved classics, and creating meaningful connections through chamber music. As we celebrate our twentieth season, we invite you to journey with us through music that explores resilience, identity, imagination, and the power of community.

Whether you're a longtime supporter or discovering Mill City String Quartet for the first time, this preview concert offers an exciting glimpse into a season filled with world premieres, compelling storytelling, and unforgettable performances.

This is a free concert with all donations going to support the ministries of St. David’s Episcopal Church.

Music Across Borders

• Caroline Shaw — Entr'acte

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor — Fantasie-Stücke

• Aleksandra Vrebalov — Pannonia Boundless

• Gabriela Ortiz — Aroma Foliado

What does it mean to belong to a place or to carry a place within you?

Boundless explores music that transcends borders of geography, culture, and imagination. Caroline Shaw's Pulitzer Prize-winning Entr'acte opens the program by reimagining the classical string quartet with unexpected turns that invite listeners into a world both familiar and surprising. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Fantasie-Stücke follows with lyrical warmth and expressive depth, revealing the distinctive voice of a composer whose music bridges cultures and traditions.

The journey continues with Aleksandra Vrebalov's Pannonia Boundless, inspired by the shared folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. Political boundaries dissolve as music reveals the deep cultural connections that unite neighboring peoples. The program concludes with Gabriela Ortiz's Aroma Foliado, a vibrant work inspired by the colors, fragrances, and rhythms of Mexico, bringing the concert to an energetic and joyful close.

Together, these works celebrate the ways music transcends borders, reminding us that art has the power to connect people across cultures, histories, and generations.

This concert has a $10 ticket price with proceeds going to support music education in Minnesota. Tickets can be purchased here: MetroNOME Brewery

Music Across Borders

• Caroline Shaw — Entr'acte

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor — Fantasie-Stücke

• Aleksandra Vrebalov — Pannonia Boundless

• Gabriela Ortiz — Aroma Foliado

What does it mean to belong to a place or to carry a place within you?

Boundless explores music that transcends borders of geography, culture, and imagination. Caroline Shaw's Pulitzer Prize-winning Entr'acte opens the program by reimagining the classical string quartet with unexpected turns that invite listeners into a world both familiar and surprising. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Fantasie-Stücke follows with lyrical warmth and expressive depth, revealing the distinctive voice of a composer whose music bridges cultures and traditions.

The journey continues with Aleksandra Vrebalov's Pannonia Boundless, inspired by the shared folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. Political boundaries dissolve as music reveals the deep cultural connections that unite neighboring peoples. The program concludes with Gabriela Ortiz's Aroma Foliado, a vibrant work inspired by the colors, fragrances, and rhythms of Mexico, bringing the concert to an energetic and joyful close.

Together, these works celebrate the ways music transcends borders, reminding us that art has the power to connect people across cultures, histories, and generations.

Music Across Borders

• Caroline Shaw — Entr'acte

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor — Fantasie-Stücke

• Aleksandra Vrebalov — Pannonia Boundless

• Gabriela Ortiz — Aroma Foliado

What does it mean to belong to a place or to carry a place within you?

Boundless explores music that transcends borders of geography, culture, and imagination. Caroline Shaw's Pulitzer Prize-winning Entr'acte opens the program by reimagining the classical string quartet with unexpected turns that invite listeners into a world both familiar and surprising. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Fantasie-Stücke follows with lyrical warmth and expressive depth, revealing the distinctive voice of a composer whose music bridges cultures and traditions.

The journey continues with Aleksandra Vrebalov's Pannonia Boundless, inspired by the shared folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. Political boundaries dissolve as music reveals the deep cultural connections that unite neighboring peoples. The program concludes with Gabriela Ortiz's Aroma Foliado, a vibrant work inspired by the colors, fragrances, and rhythms of Mexico, bringing the concert to an energetic and joyful close.

Together, these works celebrate the ways music transcends borders, reminding us that art has the power to connect people across cultures, histories, and generations.

This concert is free with all donations going to support the ministries of St. David’s Episcopal Church.

The Music That Makes Us

• Jessie Montgomery — Source Code

• Annie Gosfield — The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon

• Florence Price — Summer Moon

• Augusta Read Thomas — Helix Spirals

Every life begins with a code.

DNA explores the musical threads that connect us to our ancestors, our communities, and one another. Jessie Montgomery's Source Code opens the program by imagining the artistic and cultural DNA that shapes each generation of musicians, weaving together echoes of the past with a vibrant contemporary voice.

Annie Gosfield's The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon expands that conversation into an imaginative sound world where memory, landscape, and innovation converge. Florence Price's luminous Summer Moon offers a moment of quiet reflection, illuminating the beauty of the natural world while honoring the rich musical heritage that continues to inspire generations.

The program culminates with Augusta Read Thomas's Helix Spirals, inspired by the elegant geometry of the DNA double helix. Spiraling lines, brilliant colors, and ever-evolving musical ideas bring the evening to a thrilling conclusion, celebrating creativity as a living force that is constantly growing, adapting, and renewing itself.

Together, these works remind us that identity is never fixed. Like DNA itself, it is living, evolving, and continually shaped by the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to create.

This concert is free with all donations going to support the ministries of St. David’s Episcopal Church.

The Music That Makes Us

• Jessie Montgomery — Source Code

• Annie Gosfield — The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon

• Florence Price — Summer Moon

• Augusta Read Thomas — Helix Spirals

Every life begins with a code.

DNA explores the musical threads that connect us to our ancestors, our communities, and one another. Jessie Montgomery's Source Code opens the program by imagining the artistic and cultural DNA that shapes each generation of musicians, weaving together echoes of the past with a vibrant contemporary voice.

Annie Gosfield's The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon expands that conversation into an imaginative sound world where memory, landscape, and innovation converge. Florence Price's luminous Summer Moon offers a moment of quiet reflection, illuminating the beauty of the natural world while honoring the rich musical heritage that continues to inspire generations.

The program culminates with Augusta Read Thomas's Helix Spirals, inspired by the elegant geometry of the DNA double helix. Spiraling lines, brilliant colors, and ever-evolving musical ideas bring the evening to a thrilling conclusion, celebrating creativity as a living force that is constantly growing, adapting, and renewing itself.

Together, these works remind us that identity is never fixed. Like DNA itself, it is living, evolving, and continually shaped by the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to create.

This concert has a $10 ticket price with proceeds going to support music education in Minnesota. Tickets can be purchased here: MetroNOME Brewery

The Music That Makes Us

• Jessie Montgomery — Source Code

• Annie Gosfield — The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon

• Florence Price — Summer Moon

• Augusta Read Thomas — Helix Spirals

Every life begins with a code.

DNA explores the musical threads that connect us to our ancestors, our communities, and one another. Jessie Montgomery's Source Code opens the program by imagining the artistic and cultural DNA that shapes each generation of musicians, weaving together echoes of the past with a vibrant contemporary voice.

Annie Gosfield's The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon expands that conversation into an imaginative sound world where memory, landscape, and innovation converge. Florence Price's luminous Summer Moon offers a moment of quiet reflection, illuminating the beauty of the natural world while honoring the rich musical heritage that continues to inspire generations.

The program culminates with Augusta Read Thomas's Helix Spirals, inspired by the elegant geometry of the DNA double helix. Spiraling lines, brilliant colors, and ever-evolving musical ideas bring the evening to a thrilling conclusion, celebrating creativity as a living force that is constantly growing, adapting, and renewing itself.

Together, these works remind us that identity is never fixed. Like DNA itself, it is living, evolving, and continually shaped by the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to create.

This concert is being held in the 3M Auditorium and is free to attend.

The Music That Makes Us

• Jessie Montgomery — Source Code

• Annie Gosfield — The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon

• Florence Price — Summer Moon

• Augusta Read Thomas — Helix Spirals

Every life begins with a code.

DNA explores the musical threads that connect us to our ancestors, our communities, and one another. Jessie Montgomery's Source Code opens the program by imagining the artistic and cultural DNA that shapes each generation of musicians, weaving together echoes of the past with a vibrant contemporary voice.

Annie Gosfield's The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon expands that conversation into an imaginative sound world where memory, landscape, and innovation converge. Florence Price's luminous Summer Moon offers a moment of quiet reflection, illuminating the beauty of the natural world while honoring the rich musical heritage that continues to inspire generations.

The program culminates with Augusta Read Thomas's Helix Spirals, inspired by the elegant geometry of the DNA double helix. Spiraling lines, brilliant colors, and ever-evolving musical ideas bring the evening to a thrilling conclusion, celebrating creativity as a living force that is constantly growing, adapting, and renewing itself.

Together, these works remind us that identity is never fixed. Like DNA itself, it is living, evolving, and continually shaped by the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to create.

This concert is free with a suggested donation of $20 to support the St. Mark’s Music Series.

Celebrating 20 Seasons with Two World Premiere Commissions

As Mill City String Quartet celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season, we reflect on the forces that root us in our identities and the hope that enables us to rise together.

The program begins with Debra Kaye's Rising Up, a work the composer describes as beginning "in a low place" before searching for hope. It serves as an invitation to imagine healing even before we fully understand the depth of our wounds.

That hope is challenged by Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8, one of the twentieth century's most powerful musical responses to war, oppression, and authoritarianism. Written amid political violence and personal anguish, the quartet stands as both lament and witness, reminding us of the human cost of injustice.

From that place of remembrance, we turn toward renewal with the world premiere of a new work by Marie Herrington, co-commissioned by Mill City String Quartet and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. Inspired by traditional Ukrainian folk songs and dedicated to Helen and Richard Bochonko, the work celebrates the enduring strength of cultural memory. Folk melodies become vessels of identity, carrying stories of home, family, and perseverance across generations, even in times of displacement and war.

The evening culminates in a powerful world premiere by Daniel Bernard Roumain, commissioned in celebration of Mill City String Quartet's twentieth season. Roumain's new work explores how communities respond to trauma; not by facing it alone, but by gathering in solidarity, listening deeply, and choosing one another. His generosity in co-commissioning Herrington's work reflects the very spirit of this piece: artists supporting artists, communities lifting one another up, and hope made tangible through collaboration.

Rooted and Rising celebrates the stories we inherit, the communities that sustain us, and the enduring power of music to transform grief into connection. As Mill City String Quartet marks twenty seasons of championing underrepresented voices, this program looks both backward with gratitude and forward with hope, reminding us that we are strongest when we are deeply rooted in our shared humanity and committed to rising together.

This is a ticketed event. Check Minnesota History Center | Minnesota Historical Society for ticket details.

Celebrating 20 Seasons with Two World Premiere Commissions

As Mill City String Quartet celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season, we reflect on the forces that root us in our identities and the hope that enables us to rise together.

The program begins with Debra Kaye's Rising Up, a work the composer describes as beginning "in a low place" before searching for hope. It serves as an invitation to imagine healing even before we fully understand the depth of our wounds.

That hope is challenged by Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8, one of the twentieth century's most powerful musical responses to war, oppression, and authoritarianism. Written amid political violence and personal anguish, the quartet stands as both lament and witness, reminding us of the human cost of injustice.

From that place of remembrance, we turn toward renewal with the world premiere of a new work by Marie Herrington, co-commissioned by Mill City String Quartet and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. Inspired by traditional Ukrainian folk songs and dedicated to Helen and Richard Bochonko, the work celebrates the enduring strength of cultural memory. Folk melodies become vessels of identity, carrying stories of home, family, and perseverance across generations, even in times of displacement and war.

The evening culminates in a powerful world premiere by Daniel Bernard Roumain, commissioned in celebration of Mill City String Quartet's twentieth season. Roumain's new work explores how communities respond to trauma; not by facing it alone, but by gathering in solidarity, listening deeply, and choosing one another. His generosity in co-commissioning Herrington's work reflects the very spirit of this piece: artists supporting artists, communities lifting one another up, and hope made tangible through collaboration.

Rooted and Rising celebrates the stories we inherit, the communities that sustain us, and the enduring power of music to transform grief into connection. As Mill City String Quartet marks twenty seasons of championing underrepresented voices, this program looks both backward with gratitude and forward with hope, reminding us that we are strongest when we are deeply rooted in our shared humanity and committed to rising together.

This is a ticketed event. Check Minnesota History Center | Minnesota Historical Society for ticket details.