The Friends of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra have been active, in various iterations and nomenclatures, since the SPCO was founded in 1959 as The Saint Paul Philharmonic Society, which was later changed to The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society. The current iteration of The Friends of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra was established November 8, 1984.
Nonprofit organizations are a large part of our economy, and volunteers that support those nonprofits are integral to their mission and success. Nonprofits like the Friends of the SPCO have made a difference to decades of musicians and audience members to ensure the continuity of orchestral music. At the University of Minnesota, scholars and historians may study the arc of history of these volunteer organizations thanks to the Friends’ donations and the expertise of the University of Minnesota Library staff and curators.
The Friends’ first mission was to support the SPCO by selling season subscriptions in order to support the future of the Orchestra. Later, the Friends mission was adapted to “support The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra through fundraising, social and educational activities.”
In 2020, the board of the Friends of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra voted to establish their archives at the University of Minnesota Andersen Library’s Performing Arts Archives, where the archives of the SPCO, Guthrie Theatre, Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra (formerly WAMSO) and other major arts organizations in the Twin Cities reside.
In 2024-25, we received several generous donations of photos, newsletters and annual reports, correspondence and event records from Annette Conklin, the estate of Lola May Thompson, Joan Gacki and Linda van Dooijeweert.
We have copied below some of the early newsletters, biographical profiles and photos of Friends and events as a sample of what can be viewed at the Andersen Library, located at 222 21 st Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota by appointment. The Andersen Library is open 9-5 weekdays. Please contact Katelyn Morken at morke030@umn.edu for more information.
Here are some PDFs from past newsletters.