A Sample of Friends Activities

Fanfare – pre-concert free lecture

An entertaining and educational free lecture is presented each Friday morning and Friday and Saturday evening one hour before regularly scheduled concerts.  Listen to guest artists, conductors, and SPCO musicians talk about the music they play.  Look for Fanfare signs at your venue.  Fanfare is provided through the generosity of a grant to the Friends.

Welcome Back and Appreciation Luncheons

A special members-only offerings at which Friends treat the SPCO musicians and staff to an array of sandwiches, salads and desserts.  Held in the SPCO Center in the Hamm Building in the fall and spring, these events are our way to show appreciation and affection for the musicians and staff and give us the opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level.

Daniel Freeman Lecture Series

Daniel Freeman, Friends member and well-known musicologist from the University of Minnesota, presents a fall, winter and spring series of four lectures each.  Famous and not-so-famous composers as well as various genres of music are topics of the series.  These programs are held on Wednesday mornings at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul and are open to Friends and guests.  There is a fee for these lectures.

Beer and Pizza Party

This once-a-year party is typically held on a Friday night at Great Waters Brewery immediately following a performance at the Ordway, providing an opportunity for musicians and Friends to relax and enjoy each others’ company at the end of the evening.  (Also a members-only event.)

Holiday Party/Auction

A perennial favorite, this kick-off to the holiday season is usually held the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Traditional venues include spectacular homes in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul and attendance, though limited by the size of the venue, is open beyond  Friends membership.  The evening’s festivities feature outstanding food and wine, along with spirited bidding on items donated by our members and friends.  This is a significant source of our yearly gift to the SPCO.

Conversation with Books

Catherine Lupori, Friends member and professor emerita of English from St. Catherine University, brings her popular St. Kate’s book panel for a program each spring.  Nine to ten books, many music-related, are discussed by the panel. A supplementary list of “suggested reading” is always provided.  Friends and guests are welcome.  There is a fee for this event.

Miscellaneous Fundraising Events

The Friends of the SPCO engage in a variety of other projects to benefit the orchestra, the most-recent of which was Grab Bags Galore.  This was a mini auction of items creatively bagged by Friends and displayed for bids at last year’s Annual Meeting.  A successful first-time venture will most probably be repeated.

In the past we have hosted wine tastings, garage sales, Italian food and wine dinners, and numerous other efforts to raise funds.  We keep exploring new possibilities for the future.

Annual Meeting

The Friends of the SPCO hold their annual meeting and luncheon each May or June at a local country club.  A short business meeting precedes the luncheon and usually includes a greeting from the President and Managing Director of the SPCO and/or a musician.  Friends and their guests are welcome.  There is a fee for this luncheon.

Please click on “Events Calendar” for details of these programs and for new programs.