Sundays at Landmark: Urban Expedition Australia and New Zealand
2024-02-11 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
The 2024 Urban Expedition series continues by immersing you in Australia and New Zealand! Enjoy authentic music, food, dance, and crafts during this immersive program favorite. Be sure to get your passport and collect a stamp at each Urban Expedition event for a chance to win a prize!
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, and Global Minnesota.

Ballet Tuesdays
2024-02-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-03-12 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Landmark Center hosts FREE lunch-hour ballet performances and demonstrations, from 12-1pm, in partnership with Ballet Co.Laboratory.
2023/2024 season dates:

October 17, 2023
November 21, 2023
February 13, 2024
March 12, 2024
April 16, 2024

Courtroom Concert: Gao Hong and friends
2024-02-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:
Changyao Zhu, erhu
Yazhi Guo, Chinese winds
Zhongbei “Daisy” Wu, guzheng
Gao Hong, pipa
Famous Chinese erhu (fiddle) player Changyao Zhu won both the Excellent Performance Award of the National Instrumental Solo Competition and the Jiangsu Literature and Art Award in China.
Yazhi Guo is widely known as the best suona (oboe-like wind instrument) player in Asia and the winner of the 1998 International Pro Musicis Award and the 2012 Hong Kong Award for Best Artist.
Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu is an award-winning Guzheng (Chinese Zither) artist. She is now a Visiting Associate Professor of Music in the Performing Arts Center of Alfred University and the Director of the Confucius Institute at Alfred. She has performed for China Central Television, at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations Headquarters at New York, and the National Press Club in Washington DC.
Gao Hong, Pipa, is a 5-time McKnight Fellowship winner who has performed worldwide in solo concerts, with musicians from other cultures and genres, and with Western symphony orchestras and chamber players.

Mosaic Festival: Dance and Music of World Cultures
2024-02-18 12:00 - 16:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Experience cultural customs from nations across the globe: music, dance, language, foods, traditional clothing, and arts and crafts. Event presented by Landmark Center and Ethnic Dance Theatre.
Tickets available at the door: $6 adults | $4 kids | Free for ages 6 and under
Schedule of Performances:
12:00 Makam Baklava – Music from Turkey and the Balkans
12:15 Turkish American Association of Minnesota (TAAM) – Turkish Dancers
12:25 Ethnic Dance Theatre – Ossetian
12:35 Dolina Polish Folk Dancers
12:45 Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca
12:55 Audience Participation
1:05 Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
1:15 Ethnic Dance Theatre – Franconian
1:25 Mila Vocal Ensemble -Songs of Eastern Europe
1:40 Dolina Polish Folk Dancers
1:50 Berkay and Aydan Yetkin- Dances of the Caucasus Mountains
1:55 TAAM Turkish Dancers
2:05 Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
2:15 CAAM Chinese Dance Theater
2:25 Soul Trouvere Musical Duo
2:40 Al-Bahira Middle Eastern Dance Theatre Egyptian
2:50 Ethnic Dance Theatre – North Bulgarian
3:00 Audience Participation
3:10 Katha Dance Theater
3:30 Al-Bahira Middle Eastern Dance Theatre Persian
3:40 Szaszka Transylvanian Band

Courtroom Concert: ANCIA Saxophone Quartet
2024-02-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:
Hailed by Chamber Music America as an ensemble which “approaches the commissioning and performing of new works as a special mission,” the Ancia Quartet (AHN-chee-uh) has been dedicated to expanding the saxophone repertoire for over thirty years. The quartet has shared its passion for new music with a diverse range of audiences around the world through performances filled with “energy, precision, and huge dynamic range” (Eugene Rousseau). The group’s unique ability to “create exquisite musical interpretations” have drawn commissions from an impressive array of contemporary composers, including such luminaries as Grammy Award-winner Libby Larsen, Pulitzer Prize- and two-time Grammy-winner Jennifer Higdon, and Pulitzer Prize-finalist Lei Liang.
Ancia places a high value on the “deeply collaborative” (CMA) nature of the commissioning process. The quartet has received a grant through the Alice M. Ditson Fund to complete their new CD, Confluence, which is being released on Albany Records. Confluence will feature the premier recording of Libby Larsen’s work of the same name commissioned by the quartet in 2015 and inspired by a shared concern for the environment. The quartet premiered the four-movement work, which depicts four endangered waterways from around the world, at the SaxOpen (World Saxophone Congress XVII) in Strasbourg, France later that year. To celebrate and discuss this exciting new work and its environmental theme, Ancia was featured live on Performance Today for a special Earth Day broadcast on National Public Radio. The CD will also feature works by Rutkowski, Ricker, Piazzolla, and Dodgion.
The group has continued to engage in collaborations with innovative composers and performers, most recently leading a consortium commission of a new work by Chris Rutkowski entitled “Changes.” Ancia has also worked closely alongside provocative Israeli composer Yehuda Yannay to push the members’ boundaries as saxophonists and musicians in his new composition, “The Center Does Not Hold.” Renowned “BEATBoX SAX” artist Derek Brown spoke fondly of his recent performance with the quartet, calling them “a top-tier ensemble with an incredible range of playing styles and emotions.”
Ancia takes its role as ambassadors of new music seriously, not solely through the commissioning of new works, but through performances of the most captivating existing repertoire. The ensemble particularly enjoys showcasing concertos – a genre often overlooked by saxophone quartets – by some of the most influential composers of our time, including Philip Glass (Concerto for Saxophone Quartet, with the Wayzata Symphony Orchestra) and William Bolcom (Concerto Grosso, with the Bloomington Symphony). Although the quartet’s mission privileges the creation and dissemination of new music, Ancia thoroughly enjoys transporting audiences across time and genre. The group expertly performs repertoire spanning centuries and styles, with programs as likely to include arrangements of 12th-century German mystic Hildegard von Bingen as those of jazz legend Duke Ellington.
Ancia has been the recipient of numerous national, regional, and local grants and awards, including awards from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Community Arts grants for seven consecutive years. Ancia has collaborated with composers through Society of Composers, Meet the Composer, American Composers Forum, and THE Commission Project.
Individually, Ancia members are active soloists, chamber musicians, and professional saxophonists in a broad range of musical genres, including work in classical, jazz, contemporary and popular idioms. Ancia members hold degrees from Eastman School of Music, Ithaca College, Kansas State University, the University of Minnesota, the New England Conservatory of Music, Northwestern University, St. Olaf College and the University of Wisconsin. As dedicated teachers, Ancia members serve as saxophone artist-teachers at Augsburg University, McNeese State University, LA, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Eastview High School, Apple Valley. They have presented masterclasses, workshops, and educational performances across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Ancia is an Artist-Clinician Ensemble for Selmer Paris Saxophones and Vandoren Woodwind Products. The group is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Group members are: Matthew Sintchak (soprano saxophone), Joan Hutton (alto saxophone), Benjamin Cold (tenor saxophone), and Angela Wyatt (baritone saxophone).

Mărțișor - Romanian Spring Traditions and Crafts
2024-02-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join HORA, Sunday, February 25, 1-3 pm, room 317, for Romanian Spring Traditions and Crafts. Mărțișor is the Romanian name of a tradition celebrated at the beginning of spring, in the month of March, and the name of the associated object made from two intertwined red and white strings with hanging tassel in Romania and Moldova. The word Mărțișor is the diminutive of marț, the old folk name for March (martie, in modern Romanian), and literally means “little March”. Modern tradition involves wearing the small object on the chest like a brooch or a lapel pin, during the first part of the month, starting from 1 March.
The activity includes creating a trinket to take home. The program is free and open to the public of all ages on a first come first serve base.

Sundays at Landmark: Urban Expedition France
2024-02-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
The 2024 Urban Expedition series continues by celebrating French culture! Enjoy authentic music, food, dance, and crafts during this immersive program favorite. Be sure to get your passport and collect a stamp at each Urban Expedition event for a chance to win a prize!
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, and Global Minnesota.

KidsJam: Third Coast Percussion
2024-02-29 10:30 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
KidsJam Workshops are interactive programs that connect kids and families with community teaching artists to learn about the people, cultures, and musical traditions from around the world as they make music, move, and enjoy other creative activities.
KidsJam participation is free!
Registration is required.
(suggested ages 5-12)
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Third Coast Percussion will introduce the extraordinary range of percussion instruments found in cultures around the world as well as in your own kitchen cabinets. Participate in a series of interactive games with the musicians as you learn about the building blocks of music.

Courtroom Concert: Third Coast Percussion
2024-02-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:
Third Coast Percussion (TCP) is a GRAMMY® Award-winning Chicago-based percussion quartet and GRAMMY®-nominated composer collective, and is the first percussion ensemble to ever win the revered music award. For nearly 20 years, the ensemble has created exciting and unexpected performances that constantly redefine the classical music experience and “push percussion in new directions, blurring musical boundaries and beguiling new listeners” (NPR), with a brilliantly varied sonic palette.
The ensemble has been praised for the “rare power” (Washington Post) of more than 30 recordings and “an inspirational sense of fun and curiosity” (Minnesota Star-Tribune). Bringing their uniquely compelling programs worldwide, Third Coast Percussion maintains a busy tour schedule, with past performances in 39 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., plus international tour dates across four continents. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, the ensemble is embarking on the most ambitious collaborative projects of their career, with some of the world’s leading musicians, choreographers, and composers from around the world.
A direct connection with the audience is at the core of all of Third Coast Percussion’s work, whether the musicians are speaking from the stage about a new piece of music, inviting the audience to play along in a concert or educational performance, or uniting fans around the world via one of their free mobile apps. The four members of Third Coast are also accomplished teachers, and make active participation by all students the cornerstone of all their educational offerings, including thoughtfully curated K-12 workshops and family programming.
The quartet’s curiosity and eclectic taste have led to a series of unlikely collaborations that have produced exciting new art. Their omnivorous musical appetite, paired with approachable and flexible working methods, remove collaborative boundaries across cultures and disciplines. The ensemble has worked with engineers at the University of Notre Dame, architects at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, dancers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and musicians from traditions ranging from the mbira music of Zimbabwe’s Shona people, to indie rockers and footwork producers, to some of the world’s leading concert musicians. Third Coast Percussion served as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center from 2013-2018, and currently serves as ensemble-in-residence at Denison University.
A commission for a new work from composer Augusta Read Thomas in 2012 led to the realization that commissioning new musical works can be – and should be – as collaborative as any other artistic partnership. Through extensive workshopping and close contact with composers, Third Coast Percussion has commissioned and premiered new works by Philip Glass, Missy Mazzoli, Jlin, Danny Elfman, Clarice Assad, Gemma Peacocke, Flutronix, Tyondai Braxton, Augusta Read Thomas, Devonté Hynes, Georg Friedrich Haas, Donnacha Dennehy, Glenn Kotche, Christopher Cerrone, and David T. Little, plus many of today’s leading up-and-coming composers through their Currents Creative Partnership program. TCP’s commissioned works have become part of the ensemble’s core repertoire and seen hundreds of performances around the world. In 2023, Jlin’s Perspective, commissioned by TCP, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Third Coast Percussion’s recordings include 17 feature albums, and appearances on 14 additional releases. Besides putting its stamp on iconic percussion works by John Cage and Steve Reich, the quartet has created first recordings of commissioned works by Philip Glass, Augusta Read Thomas, Devonté Hynes, Gavin Bryars, Danny Elfman, Donnacha Dennehy, David T. Little, Ted Hearne, and more – in addition to recordings of original Third Coast compositions. In 2017 the ensemble won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for their recording of Steve Reich’s works for percussion. Third Coast has since received four additional GRAMMY® nominations as performers, and in 2021 they received their first GRAMMY® nomination as composers.
Third Coast Percussion has always maintained strong ties to the vibrant artistic community in their hometown of Chicago. They have collaborated with Chicago institutions including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Uniting Voices Chicago choir, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Humanities Festival, and the Adler Planetarium. TCP performed at the grand opening of Maggie Daley Children’s Park; conducted residencies at the University of Chicago and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago; created multi-year collaborative projects with Chicago-based composers Jessie Montgomery, Clarice and Sérgio Assad, Augusta Read Thomas, Glenn Kotche, and chamber ensemble Eighth Blackbird; and has taught tens of thousands of students through partnerships with Uniting Voices Chicago, The People’s Music School, the Chicago Park District, Rush Hour Concerts, Urban Gateways, Changing Worlds, and others.
The four members of Third Coast Percussion (Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, and David Skidmore) met while studying percussion music at Northwestern University with Michael Burritt and James Ross, and formed the ensemble in 2005. Settling in Chicago, the four friends have carefully and thoughtfully built a thriving nonprofit organization – including full-time staff, office/studio space, and a board of directors – to support their vision and facilitate their efforts to bring new works to life. Members of Third Coast also hold degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Rutgers University, the New England Conservatory, and the Yale School of Music.
Stay up-to-date and go behind-the-scenes by following Third Coast on Instagram (@ThirdCoastPercussion), YouTube (@thirdcoastpercussion), TikTok (@thirdcoastpercussion), Twitter (@ThirdCoastPerc), Facebook (@Third Coast Percussion) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/third-coast-percussion)
*Third Coast Percussion is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

KidsJam: Third Coast Percusssion
2024-03-01 10:30 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States

FamilyJam: Third Coast Percussion
2024-03-02 10:00, 2024-03-02 11:15 | Schubert Club Music Museum-Landmark Center, 75 5th Street W, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy Award-winning American percussion ensemble, based in Chicago, Illinois. For over fifteen years, the ensemble has forged a unique path in the musical landscape with virtuosic, energetic performances that celebrate the extraordinary depth and breadth of musical possibilities in the world of percussion.

FREE Courtroom Concert: Osip Nikiforov
2024-03-07 12:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Osip Nikiforov, piano
Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:
Osip Nikiforov is a Russian pianist, who studied under the tutelage of the world-renowned pianist Yefim Bronfman at Manhattan School of Music and is a Third prize-winner of 2016 San Antonio International Piano Competition.
Born in the city of Abakan in Siberia to a family of musicians, Osip started studying piano with his father at age 6. Since 2010 Osip Nikiforov has been residing in the United States. In 2023 he was awarded 2nd prize at the Schubert Club Scholarship Competition. In 2021 Osip was a finalist in the Jinji Lake International Piano Competition in Suzhou, China, and in 2020 he was awarded First prize at San Antonio Young Artist Tuesday Musical Competition. In 2016 he became a recipient of the Adopt a Young Artist award, given to a young classical musician in Minnesota. He is also the Second prize winner of 2014 Music Teacher National Association Competition in Young Artist Division in Chicago.
Osip is happy to be back to the Schubert Club Courtroom Concert Series for 2023-2024 season. He is also regularly invited to perform at concert series as well as festivals, including the Salon se Leve Concert Series in Minneapolis, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, the Memorial Classical Music Series in Houston, and the Mozart Festival Texas in San Antonio. Besides the United States, he has given solo recitals in Spain, Israel, South Africa, Russia, and Japan. Osip has also frequently collaborated with national and international orchestras, including the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Khakass Philharmonic Orchestra, the Incarnate Word Symphony Orchestra, and Golden Valley Symphony Orchestra.
Osip Nikiforov has graduated from Shattuck St. Mary’s School in Minnesota and the University of Minnesota, studying piano with Alexander Braginsky, the last student of Alexander Goldenweiser. Currently, he is a Malcolm W. Perkins Teaching Fellow in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at Rice University, studying with Jon Kimura Parker. He has also appeared on Minnesota Public Radio, WFMT Radio, Star Tribune, GetClassical, and Classical Connect. In Fall 2021 Osip’s first piano solo album “Russian Elegie” was released by Orpheus Classical Label on all major digital platforms.

Sundays at Landmark: Urban Expedition Brazil
2024-03-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
The 2024 Urban Expedition series continues by celebrating Brazilian culture! Enjoy authentic music, food, dance, and crafts during this immersive program favorite. Be sure to get your passport and collect a stamp at each Urban Expedition event for a chance to win a prize!
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, and Global Minnesota.
Stage Schedule:
MC: Natania Kamin

1:00 pm – 1:05 pm: Landmark Center Opening
1:05-1:10 pm – Brazil Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Introduction: Jeffrey Hanson (President of BMCC), Honorary Consul and Vice-Consul of Brazil in Minneapolis Kathya Dawe and Jordana Mattos
1:10-1:15pm – National Anthem by Natania
1:15-1:35 pm – Knowing Brazil Through its Music: Live Dance Performance with Clarissa Flores & Dançando em Comunidade
1:40 – 2:00 pm – Let’s Forró! Forró music band and dance with Samba Meu and Priscila Fuentes
2:00 – 2:05 pm – Landmark Center Prize Drawing
2:10 – 2:30 pm – Time for Capoeira! An Afro-Brazilian dance, acrobatics, martial arts, music, and culture – with Capoeira Minnesota
2:35 – 2:55 pm – Everything Ends in Carnaval! Samba Circle with Roda de Samba Brasil with S
2:55 pm – 3:00 pm: Closing Remarks by BMCC: Robert Scarlet – Vice-President

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
2024-03-16 09:00 - 17:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St W, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Irish Arts Minnesota (IAM), in partnership with Landmark Center, proudly hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Saturday, March 16, 2024, featuring regional and local Irish entertainment, Irish dance, Celtic vendors, Irish cuisine, pipe bands, and children’s crafts and entertainment.

An Irish Day of Dance
2024-03-17 11:00 - 17:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St W, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
March 17, 11 am – 5 pm: An Irish Day of Dance ($7/9)
Experience all things Irish at two events featuring Celtic music, dancing, and authentic vendors. Produced by the Irish Music and Dance Association, and hosted by Minnesota Landmarks. For a full event line-up, please visit landmarkcenter.org/irish-celebrations/.
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting, and Global Minnesota.

FREE Courtroom Concert: Maria Jette, Sonja Thompson, & Stephanie Arado
2024-03-21 12:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Maria Jette, soprano; Sonja Thompson, piano; Stephanie Arado, violin
Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:
Maria Jette, soprano, has appeared with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New York Chamber Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra: the Symphonies of Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Grand Rapids, Kansas City, Charlotte, Santa Rosa and Buffalo; Vocalessence (formerly The Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota), the Handel Choir of Baltimore, Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, and Los Angeles Master Chorale; and with original instrument ensembles Angelica Cantanti, Portland Baroque Orchestra and The Lyra Baroque Orchestra. She has been a regular guest at the Oregon Bach, Victoria Bach and San Luis Obispo Mozart Festivals, the Oregon Festival of American Music, and on Public Radio International’s A Prairie Home Companion. With conductor Helmuth Rilling, she has sung Bach, Mozart and Monteverdi in Germany, Spain, Japan, and Canada, as well as in Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. In a 20+ year association with conductor Philip Brunelle, she first appeared as the coloratura dog, Fido, in Britten’s Paul Bunyan; and has gone on to sing everything from fully-staged operas by Mozart opera and Virgil Thomson through oratorios by Handel, William Bolcom and Francis Grier, and most recently, Dominick Argento’s glorious Evensong (2009).
Her 45+ operatic roles range from Monteverdi’s Poppea and Handel’s Cleopatra through Mozart’s Pamina, Countess and Fiordiligi, many of them with the late, lamented Ex Machina Antique Music Theatre in the Twin Cities. With The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, she starred as the Mrs. in the May 2002 premiere of Garrison Keillor’s operatic excursion, Mr. and Mrs. Olson. She has performed her own production of Seuss/Kapilow’s Green Eggs & Ham for more than 50,000 kids, with symphonies and music festivals around the USA.
Sonja Thompson, piano,​ enjoys a varied professional life as educator, church musician, theater musician, conductor, coach and performer. In addition to maintaining an active performance schedule, she is Assistant Professor of Music and College Organist at Augsburg University, and Music Associate at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. Of particular interest for Ms. Thompson is the development of new works, and in this vein notable colleagues and collaborations have included New Dramatists in New York City, stage director and pedagogue Wesley Balk, director Ben Krywosz of Nautilus Music Theater, stage director Cynthia Stokes (San Diego CITY Opera), choreographer Rosanna Gamson (Los Angeles) and composers David Evan Thomas, Edie Hill and Jocelyn Hagen. Sonja is a graduate of The Juilliard School and the University of Minnesota.
Violinist Stephanie Arado’s career encompasses a wide range of performance and teaching experience. She most recently completed a year of teaching at the Interlochen Arts Academy, an institution she graduated from in 1982. She occupied the Loring M. Staples Chair as Assistant Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1991 to 2013. During the 1995/96 season, Ms. Arado served as Concertmaster of The Colorado Symphony under the baton of Marin Alsop. While in Minneapolis, she maintained a private teaching studio and was a founding member of the Bakken Trio, a premier chamber music organization in the Twin Cities. Through her work with the Bakken Trio she has collaborated with many living composers and commissioned numerous chamber compositions. Ms. Arado continues to serve as a Co-Artistic Director of the Bakken.
Ms. Arado played her first solo recital at the age of eight. She went on to debut with the Chicago Symphony as a 12 year old; following that she has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras throughout the US, including the Detroit, St. Louis, and Minnesota Orchestras. As a 21-year-old Ms. Arado was the first American ever invited to play with the European Union Youth Orchestra led by Claudio Abbado and Leonard Bernstein. She was also invited to perform as a part of the prestigious chamber music festival Musiktreffen in St. Moritz, Switzerland with Paul Tortelier and Yuri Bashmet, two of the most renowned chamber musicians of the century.
She was born and raised in Chicago. She began playing the violin at the age of five using the Suzuki method with Sister Mary Ricardo of La Grange. She was fortunate to have worked with many fine violin pedagogues in her youth including Paul Rolland, Eugene Gratovich and David Cerrone at the famous Meadowmount School. She spent five summers as a Fellowship student at the Aspen Music School. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music at Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL) studying with Almita and Roland Vamos, and completed her Masters Degree at Juilliard in New York City under the tutelage of Dorothy Delay and Paul Kantor.

FREE Courtroom Concert: Rod Kelly Hines and Celeste Marie Johnson
2024-04-04 12:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Rod Kelly Hines, baritone; Celeste Marie Johnson, piano

Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.
About the Artists:

Rod Kelly Hines is a classically trained baritone and versatile artist who enjoys performing in a variety of genres. He feels most at home in choral ensembles, enjoying the spectrum of artistry that he is able to explore within a vast range of musical styles. From 2018-2021 he was a member of the Brooklyn-based ensemble Choral Chameleon, under the direction of Vince Peterson. In 2019 he became an inaugural member of EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble, directed by Dr. Eugene Rogers. He is currently based in Minneapolis and in his third season singing Baritone with Cantus.
Pianist Celeste Marie Johnson, described as “eloquent” by the Baltimore Sun, is dedicated to exploring the compelling intersection of text and music in vocal repertoire. She has been a Resident Artist with Minnesota Opera since 2020, where her projects have included designing and performing a program for the Apart Together Artist Showcase series and serving as music staff for Opera in the Outfield, Albert Herring, Ópera Afuera L’Amant Anonyme, Voices United, and Carmen.

Earlier in 2020, Celeste was selected to be a participant in Renée Fleming’s SongStudio at Carnegie Hall and completed her DMA in collaborative piano at Boston University. In 2018-19, she was a Young Artist with Opera Saratoga, received the Marc and Eva Stern Fellowship at SongFest, and was a faculty coach at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Previously, Celeste has played for productions with the Boston University Opera Institute, Odyssey Opera, Inland Northwest Opera, Atlantic Music Festival, Hawai’i Performing Arts Festival, and Peabody Opera Theatre. An avid choral pianist, she has performed with the Massachusetts Music Educators All-State Choir, Coro Allegro: Boston’s LGBTQ+ and Allied Classical Chorus, and choirs at Boston University, Gonzaga University, and Boston University.

In addition to a DMA from Boston University, Celeste holds degrees in piano performance from Baylor University (BM) and vocal accompanying from The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University (MM). In November 2021, she became a Certified Professional Coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. When not at a piano or working on her new life coaching business, Celeste enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, reading, and doting on her cat, Pushkin.

Sundays at Landmark: Urban Expedition - East African Diaspora Community (Uganda, Kenya & South Sudan)
2024-04-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
The 2024 Urban Expedition series will conclude by celebrating with the East African Diaspora Community including Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan. Enjoy authentic music, food, dance, and crafts during this immersive program favorite. Be sure to bring your Urban Expedition passport and collect your final stamp for a chance to win a prize!
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, and Global Minnesota.

Landmark Literati: Grace & Grit, A History of Ballet in Minnesota
2024-04-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Courtroom 326 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55102, United States
Landmark Literati will welcome local author Ms. Georgia Finnegan on April 9th to do a reading and discussion on her recently published book with Afton Press, Grace & Grit: A History of Ballet in Minnesota at 12pm at Landmark Center. Acclaimed dance photographer Erik Saulitis will join her as they share their journey in writing this book and verify ballet’s first roots in Minnesota and the people and companies who were significant for its growth. Georgia is a long-time friend of Landmark Center and we are thrilled to have her here to present this long awaited book.
Copies will be available for purchase and both Author and illustrator/photographer will remain on-site for a book signing after the discussion. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.

TheatreX presents Frost/Nixon
2024-04-12 19:30, 2024-04-13 14:00, 2024-04-20 14:00, 2024-04-21 14:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
THE STORY
Following Richard Nixon’s fall from grace, resignation from the Presidency, and subsequent pardon, the American people are left searching for answers. The truth the nation so desperately needs may come in the most unlikely place – a “puff piece” interview with lowbrow British talk show host David Frost. The two titans meet in a surprising battle of words and wits. ​
THE SETTING
THEATREX is performing FROST/NIXON in a historic courtroom at Landmark Center, a former federal courthouse. This gives the audience a front row seat to one of the most pivotal stories in American politics. Richard Nixon never got his day in court to answer for his crimes. We thought we’d change that.​
DATES AND TICKETS
Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors (65+) and students. All seating is general admission – pick your seats when you arrive. Performances are:Fri. APR 12, 7:30pmSat. APR 13, 2pmSat. APR 20 2pmSun. APR 21, 2pm
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Skylark Opera Theatre
2024-04-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join Skylark Opera as they perform a program dedicated to Women of Broadway featuring Broadway selections by woman composers.
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, Hubbard Broadcasting, and Global Minnesota.

Ballet Tuesdays
2024-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Landmark Center hosts FREE lunch-hour ballet performances and demonstrations, from 12-1pm, in partnership with Ballet Co.Laboratory.
2023/2024 season dates:

October 17, 2023
November 21, 2023
February 13, 2024
March 12, 2024
April 16, 2024

April 16th’s performance highlights excerpts from Ballet Co.Laboratory’s production of The Little Prince.
THE LITTLE PRINCE
Explore the world of childlike wonder and re-discover a timeless classic with The Little Prince. Immerse yourself in the magical journey of a young prince from a distant planet as they discover the mysteries of life, love, and friendship.
Ballet Co.Laboratory’s adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved novella will transport you to a realm where the appreciation of life’s simple joys is reclaimed. This unforgettable production will touch the hearts of both young and old, reminding us of the profound life lessons we may have forgotten along the way.
Choreography by: Zoé Emilie Henrot
Performed by: The Company Dancers of Ballet Co.Laboratory & the students of The School of Ballet Co.Laboratory

Light in the Well
2024-04-21 13:00 - 15:00 | F. K. Weyerhaeuser Aud. – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
A multi-sensory music event, weaving together symphony movements and the real-life stories of people with disabilities. Reservations required. Please click here to make your reservation.
Please join us for the A Day of Hope event at Landmark Center on April 21st at 1:00 pm. The event features Light in the Well, an hour-long, multi-sensory performance that weaves together symphonic movements and the real-life stories of people with disabilities. There will also be an art gallery with the theme “Hope”, featuring artists with all abilities. Our desire is to build bridges between people with and without disabilities by honoring families who are affected by disabilities as they tell their stories through orchestra performance and creative arts expression. The event is free of charge, but tickets need to be reserved. To learn more, please visit www.lightinthewell.com.
A Day of Hope featuring Light in the Well is part of Landmark Center’s Sunday’s at Landmark series. Sundays at Landmark is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, Ramsey County, and Travelers.
IMPORTANT: All seats are reserved. Please have ONE person per party reserve all seats so that parties are seated TOGETHER. You will need to choose your seats. Next to the “Best Seats Available” on the right click the button that says “CHOOSE YOUR OWN SEATS”, which will bring you to the auditorium seating, then click the grey “F.K. Weyerhaeuser Aud.” button to bring up the seating chart.
Visit Light in the Well’s website for more information.

Woodturning Demonstration
2024-04-21 13:00 - 16:00 | AAW Gallery of Wood Art – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Suite 222, Saint Paul, MN, 55104, United States
A demonstration in the art of wood turning will be given by one of the members of the American Association of Woodturners. Learn about the craft and visit their current gallery exhibit. For more information call 763-226-5723.
