Albert Lea Civic Music

Sons of the Pioneers
2022-05-15 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
The Sons of the Pioneers, formed in 1934, is known as the original “singing cowboy” band instrumental in creating the earliest sounds of western music. Founded by Roy Rogers (then known as Leonard Slye), Bob Nolan and Time Spencer the band has remained together continuously since then, rotating a total of 46 members over the years. This award-winning, legendary band continues to gain fans young and old, playing original favorites like Cool Water and Tumbling Tumbleweeds along with gems from the early days. These five talent-infused musicians (including Roy Roger’s son) continue to add a new level of energy to this classic genre, taking audiences time-traveling into the great American west with them. Who are the Sons of the Pioneers, and how can they call themselves “legends of Western music”? The short answer is that they Sons of the Pioneers singularly built a new genre and library of music that is an American original, one that has become synonymous with the American West, and that continues to enthrall generations of listeners worldwide. Although others have followed, although others have openly emulated them and have subsequently added to the genre of Western music, the Pioneers were the first and the best. They are an essential part of Americana.
When you think of the West you think of natural beauty, a cultural mind-set and a very distinctive type of music. The term evokes the image of the singing cowboy and of songs that paint vivid mental pictures of tumbling tumbleweeds, cool water, tall timber and that ornery strawberry roan. The West has always had its lore and its heroes, but until the 1930s a distinct type of music was not part of that lore. Starting in the early 1930s the film and radio industry changed all that forever.
From the earliest days of the film industry the cowboy has been a favorite movie subject. Westerns became the bread and butter of most early studios. When musical segments were added to broaden a movie’s interest the “singing cowboy” was born, and it created mega stardom for people like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter and Rex Allen. Enter the Sons of the Pioneers in 1934.
The Pioneers were different right from the start. While most Western screen stars were singing traditional sweetheart songs, the Sons of the Pioneers sang about the West itself. Their songs painted unforgettable images and stories of horses, cattle, cowboys, night herds, canyons and prairies. Many of these songs were original compositions freshly penned by founding members Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer. Together with Roy Rogers (then known as Leonard Sly) they created a whole new library of music. The group and their music garnered millions of national and international fans through appearances in over 90 movies, numerous radio shows, major label recording projects and later television appearances.
Songs from the Pioneer catalog have been recorded and used by a long list of who’s who in the music industry that includes Bing Crosby, the Boston Pops, Dina Ross and the Supremes, Frankie Laine, Johnny Cash, Riders in the Sky, Michael Martin Murphy, the Muppets. The Coen brothers featured “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” in their classic movie “The Big Lebowski.” Their signature songs have been recorded so many times by so many different artists that some people lose track of the fact these songs “belong to” the Pioneers.
The Sons of the Pioneers inspired the creation of countless Western singing groups. As Doug Green of Riders in the Sky put it, “Any of us who sing Western music, it all goes back to the Pioneers.”
They have accumulated more honors and awards than any other group or performer in Western music, including coveted awards from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Western Music Association and National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Today the Sons of the Pioneers are still mesmerizing long-term fans and creating new ones. They continue to play to sell-out crowds and standing ovations. New fans are attracted by the current members’ musical ability and by those songs that haunt you long after the concert with the mystique of the great American West. As Doug Green said, “It’s not something that is connected to hit records and charts and fads. It’s just an eternal interest in the American West and they sing about it beautifully and it’s written beautifully and that’s something that just will never go out of style.”

Young & Padgett
2022-05-10 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
Tony Nominee and Broadway Stars, Josh Young and Emily Padgett, have put together a phenomenal show featuring Broadway classics and contemporary favorites from the stages in New York City’s famed Theater District. A mix of Solos and duets, all performed in the Broadway concert style, offer a unique and intimate evening led by these two veteran performers, accompanied by piano.Josh Young is an American actor best known for appearing on Broadway in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for “Best Featured Actor in a Musical” for his role as Judas.
Emily Padgett is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is known for her work on Broadway as Daisy Hilton in Side Show and Sherrie Christian in Rock of Ages, as well as for originating the roles of Lucy Grant in Martin & Brickell’s Bright Star.

Don Carlos
2022-03-27 11:00 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
For the first time in company history, the Met presents the original five-act French version of Verdi’s epic opera of doomed love among royalty, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads a world-beating cast of opera’s leading lights in this March 26 performance, including tenor Matthew Polenzani in the title role, soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Élisabeth de Valois, and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton as Eboli. Bass-baritones Eric Owens and John Relyea are Philippe II and the Grand Inquisitor, and baritone Étienne Dupuis rounds out the all-star principal cast as Rodrigue. Verdi’s masterpiece receives a monumental new staging by David McVicar that marks his 11th Met production, placing him among the most prolific and popular directors in recent Met memory. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Ariadne auf Naxos
2022-03-13 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
The exhilarating soprano Lise Davidsen makes her Live in HD debut in one of her signature roles, the mythological Greek heroine of Strauss’s enchanting masterpiece. The outstanding cast for this March 12 transmission also features mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as the Composer of the opera-within-an-opera around which the plot revolves, with soprano Brenda Rae as the spirited Zerbinetta and tenor Brandon Jovanovich as Ariadne’s lover, the god Bacchus. Marek Janowski conducts. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Kassia Ensemble
2022-03-11 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
A rare combination of string quartet—2 violins, viola and cello—and trumpet, the Kassia Strings, joined by renowned trumpeter Mary Bowden, offer a unique and bold program of classical favorites.The poet and hymnographer Kassia was a byzantine abbess in the 9th century. A woman born into a wealthy family, she is said to have been in the running to marry the Emperor Theophilus. The emperor, however, found her too witty and chose another. Kassia went on to found an abbey and became a prolific composer, one of the first in medieval history of either gender whose scores are both extant and able to be understood in modern notation. It is her spirit that the Kassia Ensemble seeks to emulate.
The composition of the full ensemble is quite unique, being that of the traditional string quartet, plus double bass, clarinet, and harp. This alternate format features renowned trumpeter Mary Bowden along with the Kassia strings, for a quintet ensemble. The Kassia Ensemble features Dawn Posey (Violin), Ashley Freeburn (Violin), Si Yu (Viola), and Katya Janpoladyan (Cello)

David Shannon
2022-02-07 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
David has played some of Broadway’s most famous roles, including The Phantom (Phantom of the Opera), Jean Valjean (Les Miserables), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Judas (Jesus Christ Superstar), Chris (Miss Saigon), and most recently Kevin T in the original London company production of Come From Away. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Olivier’s (the British version of the Tony Award) for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game. David also enjoys a busy schedule performing with orchestras around the world.

Rigoletto
2022-01-29 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
Bartlett Sher’s bold new take on Verdi’s timeless tragedy arrives in cinemas on January 29. The Tony Award–winning director resets the opera’s action in 1920s Europe, with Art Deco sets by Michael Yeargan and elegant costumes by Catherine Zuber, themselves boasting a combined 11 Tony Awards. Baritone Quinn Kelsey, a commanding artist at the height of his powers, brings his searing portrayal of the title role to the Met for the first time, starring alongside soprano Rosa Feola as Gilda and tenor Piotr Becza?a as the Duke of Mantua, with leading maestro Daniele Rustioni on the podium. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Cinderella
2022-01-01 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
In this New Year’s Day performance, Laurent Pelly’s storybook staging of Massenet’s Cendrillon, a hit of the 2017–18 season, is presented with an all-new English translation in an abridged 90-minute adaptation, with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as its rags-to-riches princess. Maestro Emmanuel Villaume leads a delightful cast, which includes mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Cinderella’s Prince Charming, soprano Jessica Pratt as her Fairy Godmother, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and bass-baritone Laurent Naouri as her feuding guardians. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Eurydice
2021-12-04 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days. Brilliant American composer Matthew Aucoin now carries that tradition into the 21st century with a captivating new take on the story—a product of the Met’s commissioning program. With a libretto by Sarah Ruhl, adapted from her acclaimed 2003 play, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view. Yannick Nézet-Séguin oversees the December 4 transmission, leading Aucoin’s evocative music and an immersive new staging by Mary Zimmerman. Soprano Erin Morley sings the title role, opposite baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and countertenor Jakub Józef Orli?ski as his otherworldly alter-ego. Bass-baritone Nathan Berg is Eurydice’s father and fellow resident of the underworld, with tenor Barry Banks as Hades himself. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Janoska Ensemble
2021-10-30 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
This Vienna-based quartet of 2 violins, piano, and bass is the personification of virtuosity. Their thrilling program will blend standards of the classical repertoire with revelatory jazz influences and a bit of the Beatles. And when played by these 3 brothers and their brother-in-law, it becomes magical for every audience. ?True art knows no frontiers, and the music of the three brothers from Bratislava—Ondrej, František and Roman Janoska—and their Konstanz-born brother-in-law, Julius Darvas, proves that in remarkable fashion. Their musical creations happily harmonize or colorfully contrast their classical fach with the music of other genres—from jazz and Latin to pop music. The consequence is not a mix of styles, however, it is a creative synthesis: the Janoska Style.

Intersection Trio
2021-10-30 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
A typical evening with Intersection may center on a Ravel, Dvorák or Brahms trio, but will veer into previously unexplored byroads. A Hungarian thread present in the Brahms may be further spun into a sequence of Gypsy tunes, Dvorak into slavic dance forms, Ravel into the ethereal world of sensuous French song. American music, crucial to Intersection’s repertoire, is presented in musical forms spanning the most avant garde of compositions to lighter fare such as excerpts of film music and popular theater and song. Various solos and duos add to the aural variety.Intersection are reknowned for the new catalog of trio works that they have directly inspired. These works, substantial but immediately accessible, figure prominently in their programs. Energetic young composers such as Patrick Zimmerli, Kenji Bunch, Dan Coleman, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Novacek himself have all contributed to the catalog, and one hallmark common to much of this music is a suggestion of the trio’s hometown, New York City, in its vitality, verve, and diversity.
Kristina, Laura and John have individually achieved enviable successes as solists and chamber musicians in the world of classical music, but each have effectively ventured beyond circumscribed artistic borders, exploring new music, world music, jazz and pop. The uniqueness of the group is in tapping to the full these highly varied backgrounds, in shows that seamlessly fuse the traditional and the surprising, the premeditated and the improvisatory, and of course their easy verbal interplay with each other and with the audience. An evening with Intersection is a virtual collaboration between artists and audience.

Fire Shut Up In My Bones
2021-10-23 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Grammy Award–winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir, which The New York Times praised after its 2019 world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as “bold and affecting” and “subtly powerful.” The first opera by a Black composer presented on the Met stage and featuring a libretto by filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, the opera tells a poignant and profound story about a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship. James Robinson and Camille A. Brown—two of the creators of the Met’s sensational recent production of Porgy and Bess—co-direct this new staging, which appears in cinemas on October 23. Baritone Will Liverman, one of opera’s most exciting young artists, stars as Charles, alongside soprano Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta, soprano Latonia Moore as Billie, and Walter Russell III as Char’es-Baby. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Ball In The House
2021-10-12 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
With their extensive tour schedule (averaging 200 shows a year), Ball in the House has performed everywhere – from theaters to performing arts centers, fairs & festivals, to opening for some of the biggest acts in the world, such as The Beach Boys, The Jonas Brothers, The Temptations, Fantasia, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie, Jessica Simpson, Blondie, Smokey Robinson, KC & The Sunshine Band, Diamond Rio, Colin Raye, Orleans, and numerous others.

Boris Godunov
2021-10-09 11:55 | Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N Broadway Ave, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
Bass René Pape, the world’s reigning Boris, reprises his overwhelming portrayal of the tortured tsar caught between grasping ambition and crippling paranoia, kicking off the Live in HD season on October 9, 2021. Conductor Sebastian Weigle leads Mussorgsky’s masterwork, a pillar of the Russian repertoire, in its original 1869 version. Stephen Wadsworth’s affecting production poignantly captures the hope and suffering of the Russian people as well as the tsar himself. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Fabulous Equinox All-Stars
2021-09-22 19:00 | Albert Lea High School Auditorium, 2000 Tiger Ln, Albert Lea, MN, 56007, United States
Meet your next two best friends – Jeremy Davis and Clay Johnson, along with their fiery hot “Little” big band! All across America, audiences have fallen in love with these two sophisticated Southern gentleman and the high-energy show that is Davis & Johnson Present the Fabulous Equinox All-Stars. Along with the greatest songs, the best original arrangements and phenomenal musicianship, these two bring their rich friendship and charm to the stage. Fashioned in the style and swagger of the legendary entertainers led by Frank Sinatra, Davis & Johnson are putting their own stamp on the Great American songbook, graced with a touch of Motown, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Elvis and more, offering a freshness and relevance that speaks to every soul.
