HORA: Romanian Dark Legends - Monsters, Vampires and the Undead
2025-10-05 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-12 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-19 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-26 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | HORA – MN – Suite 319, 75 5th St. W., Suite 319, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Step into the haunting world of Romanian folklore every Sunday this October with Romanian Dark Legends: Monsters, Vampires & the Undead. This weekly informational session uncovers spine-chilling stories rooted in centuries of myth and mystery—from bloodthirsty creatures of the Carpathians to ghostly spirits and restless souls.
Discover how Romanian tales of the undead influenced modern horror and vampire lore, including the origins of Vlad Țepeș (aka Dracula), superstitions surrounding strigoi and moroi, and rituals used to protect villages from the dark forces beyond. Each session blends historical context, storytelling, and cultural insights into how these legends shaped regional identity and continue to fuel global fascination. Whether you’re a fan of folklore, fantasy, or the eerie unknown, these sessions offer an unforgettable journey into the shadowed corners of Romanian tradition.

ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence
2025-10-06 19:00 - 21:00 | F. K. Weyerhaeuser Aud. – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence empowers teens to write short plays that spark community conversation and inspire meaningful action on gun violence. Each fall, organizations nationwide present readings of six new teen-written plays, connecting local audiences to youth voices and local solutions. Learn more about the project here.
On Monday, October 6, Applause Community Theater will present a read through of this years teen-written plays in the F.K. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium at Landmark Center. Tickets can be purchased here in advance. Tickets are $12 for youth and $25 for adults and all proceeds will go to Save Our Sons and Protect Minnesota.

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: Mark Billy, baritone; Kiegan Ryan, cello; Josh Wang, piano
2025-10-09 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.
• Mark Billy, BARITONE
• Kiegan Ryan, CELLO
• Josh Wang, PIANO
About the Artists:
Mark Billy is the leading Indigenous baritone of his generation. Mark is a 2025 winner of the McKnight Fellowship for Musicians in recognition of his sustained level of accomplishment in music as well as his commitment to artistic excellence. Mark is also a 2025 First Peoples’ Fund Native American Performing arts fellow. He is a Verdi baritone, clarinetist, and Cedar flutist of Indigenous (Choctaw tribe) ancestry from Finley, Oklahoma. Mark is at the forefront of the current musical movement which combines the sacred cultural music of the Indigenous peoples and Western concert music. He enjoys a multi-faceted career in opera, recitals with piano, concerts with orchestra, and Indigenous classical music education.
In the spring of 2026 Mark will make his debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra singing in Cherokee and playing the Cedar flute in a concert curated by him featuring a new concerto for Cedar flute and orchestra by Kiegan Ryan and a new solo piece composed by Choctaw composer Charles Shadle.
In February of 2025 Mark joined the musicians of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts to reprise the role of Inki’ in Loksi’ Shaali’ (Shell Shaker) written by Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. Loksi’ Shaali’ is the first ever opera written in an Indigenous language, Chickasaw. In 2024 he was a founding creator of Opera Montana’s Wheels of Harmony Tour, bringing classical operatic repertoire and music by living Indigenous composers to reservation and public schools throughout the state of Montana. He is on faculty at the Chickasaw Summer Arts Academy. Mark is an original artist on the roster for the North American Indigenous Songbook initiative which seeks to fill the gap of art song repertoire composed by living Indigenous composers.
In April 2025 Mr. Billy joined the Oklahoma City Philharmonic in the world premiere of Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s American Indian Symphony. Mark has sung as orchestral soloist with numerous professional orchestras and opera companies including the Rochester Symphony (Paukenmesse, Haydn), Bach Society of Minnesota (Mozart’s Requiem), Minnesota Orchestra, Duluth Superior Symphony (Carmina Burana), Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Opera Montana (Rigoletto), Madison Opera (Tosca), Lubbock Symphony (Carmina Burana).
Mark is the recipient of several awards and performance grants including the Music in Action Grant from the Wagner Society of the Upper Midwest, Opera Reading Project’s IDEA Fellowship, first prize in the St. Croix Valley Opera Competition and first prize in the Schubert Club Competition. Mark has been a young artist with Hawaii Opera Theatre and with Fargo Moorhead Opera. Mark was a national finalist in the Ryan Opera Center auditions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mark’s major teachers have been George Smith, Richard Anderson, Carol Vaness, Marilyn Horne, and David Etheridge (clarinet).
Mark Billy is under the management of Kathy Olsen at Encompass Arts.
Kiegan Ryan is a citizen of the Cherokee nation, a cellist and a composer of contemporary classical music. He composes chamber music, art song, opera, orchestral music and film scores. Kiegan had his compositional debut with the Oklahoma Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra in 2022 with Kanohelvsgi, written for String Orchestra. Kiegan recently had his Cherokee song cycle ᎧᏃᎮᎸᏍᎩ ᏧᏂᎶᏒᎯ (songs from where they journeyed from) performed at Lincoln Center and at the Juilliard School. Ryan recently had the honor of scoring Oklahoma City University’s mainstage production of King Lear. In the spring of 2026 Kiegan will make his soloist and compositional debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in a concert featuring his Cherokee song cycle Kanohelvsgi Tsunilosvhi and a newly written concerto for Cedar flute and orchestra performed by Mark Billy.
In November of 2024, Kiegan made his debut as a soloist and a composer with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. In October of this year, he will make his mainstage debut with the Philharmonic in the Classics Series, in a concert entitled Oklahoma Stories: Celebrating our future. In this concert, he will perform his original composition Kiowa Six as the cello soloist. Kiegan is a commissioned composer for the North American Indigenous Songbook initiative and will premier an original composition in New York. Kiegan recently composed a song cycle on the writings of Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller that was premiered in March at the Juilliard School. Kiegan is the lead cello instructor at El Sistema Oklahoma- a non-profit that provides free music opportunities five days a week after school during the school year to students attending Oklahoma City Public Schools.
Kiegan has had performances at National Sawdust, Juilliard, Lincoln Center and Yellowstone’s All Nations Teepee Village. He has had works performed by Opera Montana, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, 48 hour Film Festival, North American Indigenous Songbook, Schubert Club and Victory Players at MIFA Theatre.
He grew up in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and is currently completing his graduate degree in composition and cello performance from Oklahoma City University, studying with Edward Knight and Emily Stoops.
Josh Wang is a Minneapolis-based musician specializing in choral conducting, organ, piano. He currently serves as Director of Sacred Music at the Church of Saint Mary in Lowertown, Saint Paul, where he leads the parish’s schola and polyphony choir, and curates a growing program of guest musicians—including a recent collaboration with internationally acclaimed composer Sir James MacMillan. Additionally, he serves as an assistant organist at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.
In addition to his church work, Josh serves as the choir director at Holy Spirit Academy in Monticello where he directs the all-school choir, chamber choir and teaches an elective in sacred music. Starting in the fall of 2025 he will be the founding music teacher at the Saint Augustine School in Mendota Heights, working with students in grades 6-12.
Josh holds degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (B.M.) and Bowling Green State University (M.M.), and a Master of Sacred Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Notre Dame, where he studied with Carmen Téllez and Mark Doerries. He is a member of the Church Music Association of America, American Choral Directors Association, and the American Guild of Organists.

Public Building Tour
2025-10-12 12:30 - 13:15, 2025-10-19 12:30 - 13:15, 2025-10-26 12:30 - 13:15, 2025-11-02 12:30 - 13:15, 2025-11-09 12:30 - 13:15 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St W, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join a Landmark Center volunteer tour guide for a free building tour. Learn about the building’s history, gangster connections, and restoration. Tours are held every Sunday, walk-ins are welcome and no reservation is needed.
Tours begin at the Information Desk at 12:30 pm and are 45 minutes in length.

PACIM: An Evening with Polish Cinema – Two Sisters
2025-10-14 18:00 - 20:00 | F. K. Weyerhaeuser Aud. – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
PACIM is proud to present an exclusive screening of Dwie Siostry (Two Sisters), the newest film from acclaimed Polish director Łukasz Karwowski. This moving drama follows two sisters who, after years of separation, are drawn back together to face long-hidden family secrets. Blending personal conflict with universal themes of memory, reconciliation, and identity, the film offers a gripping glimpse into the depth and artistry of contemporary Polish cinema.
The screening will be followed by an open discussion, providing an opportunity to share impressions and reflect on the film’s themes together.
Save the date. More details coming soon!

The event is co-funded by the Polonia funds of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: Clara Osowski, mezzo-soprano; Casey Rafn, piano
2025-10-16 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.
• Clara Osowski, MEZZO-SOPRANO
• Casey Rafn, PIANO
About the Artists:
Clara Osowski performing a program of new works by Minnesota composers including J. David Moore, Jonathan Posthuma, Paul J. Rudoi, Linda Kachelmeier, and Wendy Durrwachter.
Mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, who sings “from inside the music with unaffected purity and sincerity” (UK Telegraph), is an active soloist and chamber musician hailed for her “rich and radiant voice” (UrbanDial Milwaukee). She was a Metropolitan Opera National Council Upper-Midwest Regional Finalist, the winner of several competitions including Bel Canto Chorus Regional Artists Competition of Milwaukee, the Houston Saengerbund Competition, several time runner-up in The Schubert Club Bruce P. Carlson Scholarship Competition, and third place in the Madison Handel Aria Competition. Recognized for her excellence in Minnesota, Clara was a recipient of the prestigious 2018-2019 McKnight Artist Fellowships for Musicians administered by MacPhail Center for Music.
In international competition with pianist Tyler Wottrich, in March of 2017, Clara became the first ever American prize winner when she placed second at Thomas Quasthoff’s International Das Lied Competition in Heidelberg, Germany. Later that year, the duo was also one of four to reach the finals in the very prestigious Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation Song Competition in London, and Clara was awarded the Richard Tauber Prize for the best interpretation of Schubert Lieder. She recently won the Radio-Canada People’s Choice Award and third place in the song division at the 2018 Concours Musical International de Montréal.
Recent performance highlights include her debut with Minnesota Opera as Mrs. Herring in Britten’s Albert Herring, and active as a recitalist, she stepped in for Susanna Philips in The Schubert Club International Artist Series Recital with Eric Owens. She has also been a feature recitalist at the Enlightenment Festival of Seraphic Fire, The Pablo Center of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, The Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, and several universities. She has collaborated with many chamber musicians, including pianist Wu Han, The Lydian String Quartet, VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, Accordo, and Dark Horse Consort. Clara’s passion for contemporary music is exhibited in the song-cycles and chamber music she has premiered or commissioned by numerous composers including James Kallembach, Libby Larsen, David Evan Thomas, Linda Kachelmeier, Reinaldo Moya, Carol Barnett, and Juliana Hall.
Orchestral performance highlights include her soloist debuts of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee, B Minor Mass with the Back Bay Chorale of Boston, Christmas Oratorio with Bach Society of Minnesota, Mozart’s Requiem with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Tulsa Signature Symphony, Bernstein’s Jeremiah with Mid-Columbia Symphony, and Dominick Argento’s orchestral song cycles Casa Guidi and A few words about Chekhov with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Minneapolis.
Active also as an educator, Clara has enjoyed giving masterclasses and convocations at several universities, including Syracuse University, Muhlenberg College, Seattle University, Concordia College (Moorhead), and North Dakota State University. She was also the guest artist in residence at Indiana State University’s 50th Contemporary Music Festival celebrating the music of Libby Larsen. Clara also served on the faculty at the Aspen Music Festival’s Professional Choral Institute in partnership with Seraphic Fire, and has been a panelist for SongFest and the Lakes Area Music Festival.
Previous season highlights include her Wigmore Hall debut recital with Julius Drake, debuts with Kansas City Symphony and Handel and Haydn Society, a premiere oratorio with the National Lutheran Choir by Steve Heitzig, and a premiere orchestral song cycle by Carol Barnett with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Please visit the schedule for more information.
In addition to performing, Clara serves as the Artistic Director of Source Song Festival, a week-long art song festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This festival strives to create and perform new art song, and cultivate an educational environment for students of song, including composers, vocalists, and collaborative pianists. In addition to her solo work, she participates in a number of ensembles, including Lumina Women’s Ensemble, Lorelei Ensemble, and Seraphic Fire.
Minneapolis-based pianist Casey Rafn enjoys a varied career both in the US and abroad. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed at venues in Latin America, Canada, New York City, and across the US. He is a member of the saxophone-piano trio {Trés}, which is currently nominated for a Grammy for their work with jazz saxophonist Miguel Zenon. He has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, and can often be found as a chamber musician with members of that orchestra, as well as members of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and also faculty from the University of Minnesota. Apart from his collaborative work, he enjoys solo playing, having taken top prizes at the International Liszt-Garrison Competition in Baltimore, as well as appearing as a soloist with Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra. He has held positions at the University of Minnesota School of Music, SPCPA, and Lundstrum Performing Arts in North Minneapolis.

Opening Reception: Synthetic Streams by Erik Jon Olson
2025-10-16 17:00 - 19:00 | North Gallery – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., St. Paul, MN, 55104, United States
Using quilted plastic waste, Erik Jon Olson creates works that confront consumerism, mass consumption, and unfettered capitalism. Layering environmental concerns with social justice, the art underscores humanity’s alienation from nature and each other, exposing our wastefulness and need for healing.
Olson’s process follows an ethos of minimal waste: each piece uses discarded plastics, pallet wrap for batting, overstock or gifted thread, and secondhand sewing machines. Even scraps are saved for future works, reinforcing the message of sustainability in the art itself.
Join us Thursday, October 16 from 5-7 pm in the North Gallery for the exhibit opening. The opening will include wine and other light refreshments.
Exhibition on View:
October 1, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Sundays at Landmark: Saint Paul Civic Symphony Fall Concert
2025-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
On Sunday, October 19, the soaring sounds of the Saint Paul Civic Symphony will fill the Landmark Center’s beautiful Musser Cortile for the first concert of its new season. Founded in 1945, this volunteer-driven orchestra has been bringing free, high-quality performances to audiences across Saint Paul and the surrounding communities for 80 years.
This special program, Celebrating the Classics!, features timeless works by Wagner, Mozart, and Brahms, and will showcase guest soloist Michael Gast, principal horn of the Minnesota Orchestra.
Part of the Sundays at Landmark series, supported by Ecolab, Hubbard Broadcasting, Travelers, Xcel Energy Foundation, and Ramsey County.

Woodturning Demonstration
2025-10-19 13:00 - 16:00 | AAW Gallery of Wood Art – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Suite 222, Saint Paul, MN, 55104, United States
Experience the magic of woodturning with the American Association of Woodturners’ (AAW) free demonstrations held every third Sunday, 1–4 pm, at the Gallery of Wood Art. Watch as expert turners from the American Association of Woodturners’ transform blocks of wood into spinning tops and other creative treasures — shavings flying and creativity flowing! This is a family-friendly, informative, fun, and free experience you won’t want to miss!

Ballet Tuesdays: Swan Lake
2025-10-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join us for a FREE dance program in partnership with Ballet Co.Laboratory! Enjoy excerpts from classical ballet favorite, Swan Lake. Dancers from Ballet Co.Laboratory’s Junior Performance Ensemble will delight audiences with this iconic music and choreography.
After the performance, audience members are invited to participate in an optional mini-dance lesson, craft, and photos with the dancers. Ballet Tuesdays are free and open to the public, no reservations required!
2025/2026 season dates:

October 21, 2025 | Swan Lake
November 18, 2025 | The Snow Queen
February 17, 2026 | If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
April 21, 2026 | Mary Poppins
May 5, 2026 | Les Sirènes

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: The OK Factor & Jaerv
2025-10-23 12:00 - 13:00 | Musser Cortile – 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:
Playful and unexpected, new-classical crossover duo The OK Factor writes and performs folk-inspired music influenced by multiple genres, with an artistry that reveals their classical training. Cellist Olivia Diercks and violinist Karla Peters find great joy in defying expectations and delivering an experience outside of what audiences anticipate from a cello and violin combo. Organic and genuine, their original compositions feel both comfortingly familiar and uniquely fresh, and have been described as “genre-bending” (Julie Amacher, MPR) and “pure magic” (Wausau Pilot & Review). The ease with which they write and perform and their passion for educational outreach has caught the attention of the Minnesota music community in which they live and work, as recipients of a 2024 Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Education Grant, and a 2020 Scandinavian Folk Arts and Cultural Traditions Fellowship through the American Scandinavian Foundation. Olivia and Karla invite audiences to explore music and cultivate a curiosity about its role in their lives.

HORA: Romanian Folk Arts Workshop - Masks and Dances
2025-10-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join us for an immersive cultural experience with the renowned Izvorasul Dance Ensemble, a treasured part of the Romanian-American community for over 45 years. Under the leadership of founder and choreographer John Omorean, Izvorasul has brought to life more than forty regional dance suites, celebrating the beauty and diversity of Romania’s folk traditions. During the workshop, guests will learn the basic steps of regional Romanian dances in a fun, inclusive atmosphere—no experience required!
Create Your Own Traditional Romanian Mask
In the spirit of Romanian seasonal celebrations, dive into a mask-making workshop inspired by ancient winter and harvest rituals. Blend the spirit of Halloween and Christmas as you design your own masks modeled after folkloric characters like the Capra (goat), Ursul (bear), and Mosul. Learn about the symbolism, history, and craftsmanship behind these artistic traditions while creating a unique cultural keepsake.
This event is perfect for families, students, and anyone curious about Romanian heritage. Whether you’re looking to dance, craft, or simply enjoy a vibrant afternoon of cultural exchange, we welcome you! Admission is free.

Sundays at Landmark: Great Pumpkin Halloween Festival
2025-10-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
The Great Pumpkin Halloween Festival is back—and bigger than ever! This year’s festivities include all the favorites: a lively costume parade, face painting, crafts, a DJ spinning dance tunes, and, of course, plenty of candy. New this year, families can enjoy carnival-style fun with games like Plinko, fishing for prizes, ring toss, bag toss, a cake walk, and more!
Join us on Sunday, October 26, from 1–3 pm in the Musser Cortile at Landmark Center. The costume parade begins at 2 pm, and all attendees are encouraged to show off their Halloween best.
The celebration doesn’t stop on the first floor! Both the Schubert Club Music Museum (second floor) and the Romanian American Cultural Center (third floor) will be open with special spooky programming—free for all guests. Explore the museum’s beloved Mysterious Music Museum Trail in the Music Makers Zone, where every corner holds a curious sound to discover. Then head to Courtroom 317, where the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans will lead a festive dance and mask-making workshop.
Don’t miss this chance to experience Halloween fun throughout Landmark Center—where history meets haunt!
Sundays at Landmark is supported by Ecolab, Hubbard Broadcasting, Travelers, Xcel Energy Foundation, and Ramsey County.

Gangster Ghost Tour 2025
2025-10-29 18:00 - 21:45 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St W, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
One night a year, the rumors of Landmark Center’s haunting come true. Step into the past as you cross paths with the ghosts of gangsters, G-men, and judges who once roamed these halls. Experience the Landmark Center through the eyes of Saint Paul’s most famous—and infamous—inhabitants.
Tickets are $11.55 per person (recommended for ages 12+). Tours begin at 6:00 p.m., depart every 15 minutes, and last approximately 75 minutes. The final tour leaves at 8:30 p.m. Tours begin promptly at their scheduled time, and we are unable to hold tours for late arrivals.
Please plan to arrive downtown at least 30 minutes before your tour time to allow for parking and walking to the building. All ticketholders will need to check in at the Market Street Entrance to pick up their tickets. We recommend checking in about 20 minutes before your tour, so you can enjoy some extras before your tour begins. Look for signs outside to guide you to the correct entrance. Before your tour, enjoy complimentary cider and cookies, browse a display of famous gangsters, and take home a FREE “mugshot” keepsake photo!
Advance tickets are required and will be available for purchase starting Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 651.292.3063.

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: Cheryl Paschke, nyckelharpa; Marya Hart, piano
2025-10-30 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.
• Cheryl Paschke, NYCKELHARPA
• Marya Hart, PIANO
About the Artists:
Cheryl Paschke started playing nyckelharpa as an adult, having first encountered the instrument in Sweden at a Midsommar celebration. She has studied locally and abroad, is an active performer in several Twin Cities-based groups, including Tjärnblom, Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag, The Swedish Trio, and Finn Hall. She performed in the VocalEssence 2019 premier of “Nordic Christmas” by Kim André Arnesen and as soloist with the East Metro Symphony Orchestra. Cheryl plays traditional music on a Swedish (3-row) nyckelharpa and classical music on a Continental (4-row) nyckelharpa.
Marya Hart is a composer, pianist and music director living in Minneapolis. Her compositions – primarily vocal and theatrical – have appeared on stage in US, Canada, and Guam. Recent works include commissions from the University of Calgary, Voices of Hope, and Springboard for the Arts. For many years she has accompanied Ross Sutter and Cheryl Paschke in The Swedish Trio.

HORA: From Wood to Stone - Romanian Architecture Unveiled
2025-11-02 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-09 13:00 - 15:00 | HORA – MN – Suite 319, 75 5th St. W., Suite 319, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Visit the Romanian American Cultural Center every Sunday in November to learn about the timeless elegance and craftsmanship of Romania’s architectural heritage. From Wood to Stone: Romanian Architecture Unveiled invites you on a rich cultural journey—from the rustic charm of wooden monasteries and vernacular homes to the grandeur of stone castles and Byzantine-style churches.
Through storytelling, imagery, and discussion, each session reveals how Romania’s architecture evolved through history, reflecting religious traditions, rural lifestyles, and the shifting currents of empire and resistance. Learn about iconic elements such as intricately carved wooden portals, fortified Saxon villages, and the symbolism embedded in Romanian Orthodox design. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a traveler at heart, or simply curious about the cultural tapestry of Eastern Europe, this program offers a compelling glimpse into how buildings tell stories—and how those stories endure.

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: Scott J. Brunscheen, tenor; Celeste Marie Johnson, piano
2025-11-06 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.
• Scott J. Brunscheen, TENOR
• Celeste Marie Johnson, PIANO
About the Artists:
Scott J. Brunscheen’s “warm, effortlessly produced vocalism” (Opera News) has garnered acclaim in a wide range of repertoire. His performances of Handel’s Il resurrezione, Caccini’s La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina, Haydn’s L’isola disabitata, Marais’ Ariane et Bachus, and Cesti’s L’Orontea with Haymarket Opera received praise from publications including the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and Opera News. Scott recently made his debut at the Kennedy Center under the baton of Christophe Rousset in the modern premier of Mouret’s Les Fêtes de Thalie with Opera Lafayette. Other favorite operatic engagements include Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, the world premier of Stewart Copeland’s The Invention of Morel, and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Chicago Opera Theater; Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites and Donizetti’s La Favorite and Lucrezia Borgia at the Caramoor Bel Canto Festival; Puccini’s Tosca and Mozart’s Der Zauberflöte with Madison Opera; Purcell’s The Fairy Queen at Long Beach Opera; Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited; and Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and The Rape of Lucretia with Chicago Fringe Opera.
Outside of his operatic work, Scott has been the tenor soloist for Haydn’s The Creation, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s The Messiah and Judas Maccabaeus, Pergolesi’s Magnificat, Bach’s Magnificat, Resphigi’s Lauda per la Nativita, Donizetti’s Miserere, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Britten’s Serenade and Canticles, and numerous cantatas of Bach, Buxtehude, and Rameau. He can be heard on an album of Agostino Steffani duets produced by Musica Omnia.
Celeste Marie Johnson is a pianist, coach, chorus director, and educator dedicated to exploring the compelling intersection of text and music in vocal repertoire. Currently the Principal Coach and Chorus Director at Minnesota Opera, she has held music staff positions with companies and festivals across the country, including the Lakes Area Music Festival, Opera Saratoga, the Boston University Opera Institute, Odyssey Opera, Inland Northwest Opera, the Atlantic Music Festival, and the Hawai’i Performing Arts Festival.
A sought-after recital partner, Celeste presented Songs of Sun and Snow with tenor Evan LeRoy Johnson as part of the MNOP+ recital series in 2024. She regularly performs in the Schubert Club Courtroom Concerts recital series, including a world premiere of Libby Larsen’s North Shore Songs with mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski in 2021. She has been featured by LOFT Recital and curated a program for the MN Opera Apart Together Artist Showcase series during the pandemic. She was a part of Renée Fleming’s Song Studio at Carnegie Hall in 2020 and is a former recipient of the Marc and Eva Stern Fellowship at SongFest.
Celeste received her BM in Piano Performance from Baylor University, MM in Ensemble Arts: Vocal Accompanying from The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and DMA in Collaborative Piano from Boston University. Passionate about holistic approaches to wellbeing for artists, she became a Certified Professional Coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching in November 2021. Celeste enjoys yoga, hiking, poetry, and spending time with her husband Keith, son Luka, and cat Pushkin.

Once Upon a Time Gala: Cairo
2025-11-07 17:30 - 21:30 | Musser Cortile – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Every year, Landmark Center opens its doors to thousands of people to provide a broad range of affordable arts programs that celebrate the cultural diversity and collective history of our community. Minnesota Landmarks aims to foster an enriching, dynamic gathering place for everyone.
These goals are made achievable through generous support from donors and sponsors. Funds from the Gala support our mission to maintain the Landmark Center as a welcoming and affordable community space in the heart of downtown Saint Paul.
We invite you to join us as we embark on a “journey” to the sandy city of Cairo, Egypt in support of Landmark Center programs! Join us for the 13th annual Once Upon a Time Gala on Friday, November 7, 2025.
More information coming soon!

HORA: Know Your Taxes, Expert Q&A
2025-11-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota for an informative session with tax expert Monica von Geldern as we break down the key changes to U.S. tax regulations for 2025 and what they mean for individuals and families. The first part of the event will cover updates to deductions, credits, filing requirements, and other important changes that may impact your financial planning.
The second half will be an open Q&A, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and get personalized insights. Whether you’re filing independently or supporting your family’s finances, this session will help you feel more confident and prepared. Reserve your seat now.

Thank You for Holding: The Caregiver Play Project
2025-11-09 13:00 - 15:00 | F. K. Weyerhaeuser Aud. – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
November is National Family Caregivers Month recognizing and honoring family caregivers across the country and the essential care they provide to their loved ones, often without identifying themselves as caregivers. Many caregivers juggle these responsibilities while managing their own lives, and often sacrificing personal time, finances, and well-being. This observance was established to raise awareness of caregivers’ sacrifices and challenges. Join us Sunday, November 9 at 1pm for a free screening of Thank You for Holding: The Caregiver Play Project. This live recording of the 2024 production put on by local theater group Wonderlust Productions is based on the true stories of over 150 caregivers across a spectrum of experiences. Stay for a community discussion following the play led by Wonderlust Productions staff with take-away resource materials. Screening time 90 minutes with community discussion following.

Dr. Mark Seeley presents The Storm that Sank the Edmund Fitzgerald
2025-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Courtroom 317 – Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
To honor the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking, climatologist and meteorologist Dr. Mark Seeley will present on the weather that caused the disastrous accident. The storm that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975 was one of the worst in Great Lakes weather history and is one of the most studied as well. Climate scientists and meteorologists have reconstructed this storm using wave models and storm models. Hour by hour the storm intensified and worsened as the Fitzgerald made its way across Lake Superior that fateful day. Dr. Seeley will share perspectives on the storm from both the American and Canadian Weather Services and show the very treacherous conditions that eventually doomed the vessel. He will also share some thoughts on improvements in forecasting that have been made since that time.
This event is free and open to the public.

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert: Hannah Peterson, flute; Rômolo Sprung, violin; Benjamin Burgdorf, viola; Rachel Bottner, cello
2025-11-13 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.
• Hannah Peterson, FLUTE
• Rômolo Sprung, VIOLIN
• Benjamin Burgdorf, VIOLA
• Rachel Bottner, CELLO
About the Artists:
Hannah Peterson is Principal Flute of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and Adjunct Professor of Flute at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. She has previously held positions with the Des Moines Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, and the Duluth Superior Symphony. She maintains a busy chamber music calendar, which in the 2025-26 season will include recitals at The Schubert Club, Marine Candlelight Concert Series, and Schmitt Music. She also appears regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra, including the 2022 recording of Mahler’s 8th Symphony and 2024 This is Minnesota Orchestra broadcast. In 2018 she was awarded first prize in the Upper Midwest Flute Association Young Artist Competition, and has won prizes in all three age divisions of the Bruce P. Carlson Student Scholarship Competition. Hannah has been selected twice as an MPR Class Notes Teaching Artist, and maintains a private teaching and audition coaching studio in Saint Paul, where she’s helped students prepare for auditions of all levels; from regional honor bands to professional orchestras.
Brazilian born violinist Rômulo Sprung is an established performer and teacher in the Twin Cities area, where he moved in 2017 to pursue his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Minnesota, studying with famed violin pedagogue Sally O’Reilly.
Rômulo Sprung is an avid orchestral and chamber music player, in addition to being a member of the Linwood Quartet, he is also a member of the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, and the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. Rômulo has also performed with the Minnesota Opera, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and has made guest concertmaster appearances with the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Valley Orchestra, and the Buffalo Community Orchestra. He has worked with renowned musicians and conductors, including Kurt Mazur, Manfred Honeck, Carl St. Clair, Keith Lockhart, Shlomo Mintz, Sarah Chang, Garrick Ohlsson, and has performed with popular artists and groups such as Andrea Bocelli, Bernadette Peters, Michael Bolton, the Celtic Woman, and Beck. He was the concertmaster of the Journey North Opera Company for the production of Benjamin Britten’s “Lucretia,” which was named one of the “Best 10 Classical Concerts of The Year” in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. Rômulo started violin lessons through the Suzuki Method at the age of nine. At thirteen, he won his first national competition in Brazil for young artists, which sparked his desire to pursue a career as a professional violinist. After completing his undergraduate studies with violin pedagogue Dr. Fredi Gerling, Rômulo moved to the United States to pursue his Master’s Degree at Duquesne University as a student of Charles Stegeman, and later a Performance Diploma from Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he studied with Yuan-Qing Yu. He has had the opportunity to perform in masterclasses for prestigious violinists, including Shlomo Mintz, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Andres Cardenés, Miriam Fried, and Shmuel Ashkenazi.
When Rômulo is not busy teaching or performing, he enjoys hiking, cooking, brewing espressos,exploring local breweries, and spending time with his wife, Morgan, and their two cats, Louie and Hubert.
Benjamin Burgdorf believes there are few better ways to exist together than when we are creating and sharing music with friends, family, and community. It is a space where we can come to feel the things in life we’ve never quite had the words to express. His role as violist in Linwood is rooted in this belief and your presence in the audience today is a gift to the quartet and those in the seats next to you.
As a performer, Burgdorf performs extensively in classical, improvisational, and popular contexts. He is a tenured member of the Des Moines Symphony and has performed extensively with Orchestra Iowa, Quad City Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, Juniper Trio, Lux String Quartet, Belin Quartet, St. Croix Valley String Collective, Laurel’s Quartet, and Sonorous Strings. As an improviser and creator, his duo Wormwood explores improvised storytelling, poetry, and interdisciplinary collaborations with dancers and podcasters. In the pop world, he has shared the stage with Jeremy Messersmith, Dan Wilson of Semisonic, Dessa, the Trans Siberian Orchestra, and more. In addition to his performing life, he is also a committed educator, serving on the board of the Suzuki Association of Minnesota and teaching a full studio of the next generation of violinists and violists through his home studio, Maple Strings.
Burgdorf plays on an award winning Brescian model viola after Da Salo made by New York-based luthier Jason Vaseltear, as well as a bow commissioned from master archetier Matthew Wehling. When not playing the viola or fiddle, you might find Ben sweating it out in a sauna by a lake, digging in his garden, or playing an intense game of chess with friends.
Cellist, Rachel Bottner, is a Midwest native originally hailing from La Crosse, Wisconsin. After leaving Wisconsin, Rachel pursued her musical studies at Interlochen Arts Academy, Eastman School of Music and University of Wisconsin, Madison where she studied with Crispin Campbell, Steven Doane and Uri Vardi, respectively. During that time Rachel also participated in masterclasses for highly respected cellists such as Peter Wiley, Mark Kosower, Timothy Eddy, Eleanore Schoenfeld, Hans Jensen and Amir Eldan. Rachel has spent her summers at festivals such as Bowdoin International Music Festival, Lakes Area Music Festival, Meadowmount School of Music and Northern Lights Chamber Music Institute.
Currently, Rachel performs in orchestras throughout the Midwest including the Rochester Symphony as principal cellist, Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, and the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra as associate principal. In addition to her orchestral work, Rachel is an avid chamber musician as part of the Stone Arch String Quartet and the Linwood Quartet, both based in the Twin Cities. Outside of performing, Rachel maintains a small private studio where she hopes to help young students develop a lifelong love for music.
