transfer news; Weekend picks include Enigma Variations at Orchestra Hall, the Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Festival, and the publication of Haley Lasche’s ONE book.

transfer news ;Weekend picks include Enigma Variations at Orchestra Hall, the Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Festival, and the publication of Haley Lasche’s ONE book…

The new year offers a lot of music and art to the Twin Cities, so make it a point to get out and enjoy it. This week, the Minnesota Orchestra’s new music director Thomas Sndergrd collaborates with violinist Augustin Hadelich at Orchestra Hall, and Martin Dosh brings together a large collection of elite improvisers for the The Larry Schaefer Memorial Orchestra. Also this week, check out The Cedar for a fusion of pop, rock, folk, and ethereal sounds, or Cloudland for punk bands. This weekend also sees the Minneapolis Tattoo Festival, and Haley Lasche performs poetry at Bella Luna Studios.

Walker Rider, Rosalie, and Dark Bunny with Hazelcreak
Relax into 2024 with a four-band evening of peaceful, groovy songs that straddle the folk, rock, alt-country, and pop genres. Hazelcreak, named after singer-songwriter Benjamin Richter’s birthplace, just released a lovely track with Ava Levy titled “Wallowing,” signalling a new path. In this exciting show, Emily Youel performs with her band Dark Bunny, Walker Rider discusses what’s happening in Fargo, Minnesota, and 19-year-old rosie shares their budding skill.

Have you made a New Year’s resolve to deepen your friendships? Perhaps you can find inspiration in the work of British composer Edward Elgar, who channelled the personalities of his friends—as well as the inside jokes he shared with them—into a piece called “The Enigma Variations,” which was conducted this week by Minnesota Orchestra music director Thomas Sndergrd. Elgar is in the company of three other British composers. Benjamin Britten gets the Augustin Hadelich treatment, as the legendary violinist returns to Orchestra Hall to perform Britten’s show-stopping Violin Concerto. The orchestra will also perform William Walton’s 1941 work “Scapino,” as well as Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s “Idyll,” a nearly forgotten piece that was part of the Minnesota Orchestra’s The Listening Project, which aimed to highlight music by historically underrepresented composers, in 2022.

 

Last October, I got the opportunity to hear Haley Lasche’s subtle wordplay at the Riot Act Reading Series at Northeast Sculpture Factory. Lasche’s modest reading of excellent rhythm and imagery impressed me, and I made a mental point to keep a look out for her future book. Lasche teaches at Century College and North Hennepin Community College, is the co-founder/editor/owner of Beauty School Editions with Paula Cisewski, and is the creator and editor of Concision Poetry Journal. “One,” the latter’s first publication, is also Lasche’s debut poetry collection. You can hear some of it this weekend at an event featuring mindfulness educator Ginny Johnson and songwriter/composer Billy McLaughlin.

This season, the squad started with a 1-4 record but quickly improved with a five-game winning streak. They did so despite the absence of major players such as Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson.

However, the team’s performance has dipped as they have lost five of their previous six games, including some crushing defeats. Fans were dissatisfied, particularly with their performances against difficult opponents such as the Broncos, Bears, Bengals, and Lions.