Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra Seeks New Musicians as 46th Season Begins

Are you a musician who moved to the south metro suburbs and missed the joy of playing in an orchestra? The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra might be exactly what you're looking for.

For nearly five decades, this community orchestra has been bringing beautiful symphonic music to southeastern Minnesota. Founded in 1979 by Paul Niemisto (now a retired St. Olaf College music professor), the orchestra started when he noticed Northfield didn't have a community orchestra.

What began as one person's solution has grown into a thriving musical family that draws talented musicians from 22 different communities.

The best part? They don't believe in intimidating auditions. "We sort of let people come and join us, and if they're comfortable, we're happy to keep them with us," says Niemisto, who still conducts the orchestra today. "It's a soft entry, none of that blind audition behind a screen with a committee."

This isn't your typical stuffy orchestra.

Everyone from music teachers play alongside people from all walks of life—most are college-educated folks who loved playing in high school and want to keep that musical spark alive.

It's a fantastic way for newcomers to meet like-minded people while doing something they love.

The commitment is flexible too. The orchestra has about 100 musicians in their talent pool, but only needs about 45 for each concert. This means you can participate when your schedule allows without feeling guilty about missing everything.

While the orchestra welcomes all orchestral instruments—winds, brass, and percussion—string players have the easiest path to joining.

"If you're a reasonably competent string player, there's going to be a very quick ascension into membership," Niemisto explains.

They need violinists (both first and second), violists, cellists, and string bass players.

If you played in a college orchestra, you'll likely do great. Even strong high school players who've kept up their skills often find success. The key is looking at the CVRO concert program and deciding if it feels right for your skill level.

There are no membership fees to join. The orchestra is sponsored by the Northfield Arts Guild, and while musicians are encouraged to support this nonprofit, it's not required. Your main "costs" are just gas money to get to Northfield and your time, a pretty small investment for the joy of making music with enthusiastic fellow musicians.

As Niemisto recently shared after a rehearsal, "It was so much fun to see their enthusiasm just to get back to play again after the summer off. It just made me all excited."

If this sounds like your kind of musical community, reach out to conductor Paul Niemisto at [email protected].

He'll be happy to discuss current openings and what opportunities might work for your schedule and instrument.

After 46 successful years, the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra is in great shape with a loyal audience and exciting music ahead.

As they look toward their 50th anniversary in 2029, they're always eager to welcome new musicians into their musical family.

"We're always looking for more people we can call on to be part of our experience," Niemisto says. For musicians wanting a welcoming community and the chance to perform quality orchestral music, that's exactly what CVRO offers, audition stress not included.

"Cowboy Music II" - September 6th

Kicking off the season with a fun twist! This concert happens at 7:00 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church in Northfield, right during the Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration. You'll hear Aaron Copland's exciting music from the "Rodeo" ballet and John Williams' film score from "The Cowboys." It's a perfect alternative if you want something more musical than the street festivities.

Fall Classical Concerts - November 15th & 16th

These main concerts (November 15th in Northfield and 16th in Faribault, both at 3:00 PM) showcase the orchestra's classical side with a beautiful program including Sibelius' "In Memoriam," Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" featuring a solo violin, Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins, and Schubert's beloved "Unfinished Symphony."