OUR HISTORY
A cornerstone of cultural arts in Southeast Minnesota
The Rochester Symphony was founded in 1919 as a professional performing arts organization called the Rochester Orchestra. Its earliest ensemble — the Lawler-Dodge Orchestra — was founded in 1912 as a volunteer orchestra motivated by their passion to play, driven by Daisy Plummer, wife of world famous Mayo Clinic physician, Dr. Henry Plummer and directed by Harold Cooke. In early years, the Orchestra appeared in the former Chateau Theatre where they performed background music for silent movies.
2023 GUEST CONDUCTOR
Steven Amundson
Renowned conductor and composer Steven Amundson recently retired after serving 41 years on the faculty of St. Olaf College where he was conductor of the St. Olaf Orchestra. Under Amundson’s direction, the Orchestra has frequently appeared on NPR and PBS and twice won the American Prize among colleges and universities. The founding conductor of the Metropolitan Symphony, Amundson also served as music director of the Bloomington (MN) Symphony for 13 years and has appeared as conductor and clinician in 37 states and 15 countries.
After 42 years at the helm of Rochester Symphony, Maestro Jere Lantz retired in December 2022. Rochester Symphony is conducting a search for our next Maestro.
CHORALE DIRECTOR
Pat Anderson
Pat Anderson received her Bachelor of Music degree in Church Music from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. She has been directing choirs of all ages for over 40 years. Anderson became Chorale Director of the Rochester Symphony in 2014 after serving as the Resident Director for a number of years, and has built the group from 50 to 90+ singers.
During her career, Anderson has guided a graded choir school program for ages 4-12, led handbell choirs of 3-5 octaves of bells, and–in addition to weekly participation in worship–has prepared church choirs in works including Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Brahm’s Requiem, and Rutter’s Magnificat and Requiem, accompanied by chamber orchestra and/or organ. Anderson has been Music Director or Vocal Director for community musical theatre productions, including Quilters, Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, Fiddler on the Roof, and Godspell. Currently, Anderson also teaches private voice lessons utilizing her decades of pedagogical experience.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR
Brad Krehbiel
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Amy Lindstrom, President & CEO
Matt Roisum, Treasurer
Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran, Secretary
Jodi Melius, Vice Chair
Jay Beck, Immediate Past Chair
DIRECTORS
Andrew Good
Rafael Jimenez
Mark Neville
Sarah Schaefer Meier, Chorale Representative
Joe Mish, Orchestra Representative