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The St. Anthony Civic Orchestra, conducted by Carol Jensen, performed at Edinborough Park. |
The St. Anthony Civic Orchestra is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to provide continued musical education and performing opportunities for area musicians and to enhance, enrich, and expand the musical experiences available to citizens in the area. It plays a variety of music each season, including classical concerts in fall and spring, Christmas concerts, and summer pops concerts. The orchestra performs at many locations, including the St. Anthony Community Center, St. Anthony High School, retirement and nursing homes, churches, shopping centers, and parks.
The orchestra's first rehearsal was August 12, 1975, and its first concert was a Christmas program played by the 34-piece orchestra at Apache Plaza Chopping Center, December 4, 1975. By November, 2000, when it gave its 25th Anniversary Concert, the orchestra had played 265 concerts, and Carol Jensen had been the orchestra's conductor throughout its 25 years. As of the 25th Anniversary Concert, seven other charter members continued to perform with the orchestra.
One highlight of the orchestra's early years was the set of concerts and clinics in 1979 and 1980 with Rhadames Angelucci, oboe, and Julia Diner, violin, funded by a grant from the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities.
In 1991 the orchestra performed in St. Anthony's sister city, Salo, Finland. The program included Glen Newton's composition, "Passacaglia"; the orchestra had given the work its premiere performance at St. Anthony High School, March 4, 1979.
The orchestra has also performed works by other contemporary composers, including conductor Carol Jensen and orchestra members Florence Marks, Dan Hovsepian, and Donald Singley.
Members of the orchestra are adults from all walks of life, including consultant, engineers, teachers, nurses, dentist, psychologist, accountant, lawyer, computer programmer, and homemakers. Their interests are many: music, hiking, languages, photography, sewing, gardening, theater, sports, computers, needlework, cooking, birds, cars, and antiques. They all have the common interest of making music.
For more information about the St. Anthony Civic Orchestra, send E-mail to cmj01a@email.msn.com.