Bakken Ensemble is back for a new season! 

We are pleased to present our 2024-2025 season to you. Our programs are an interesting mix of timeless masterpieces and little known gems designed to provide a rich spectrum of musical experience for listener and player alike. We hope you will join us as we continue to explore all that the genre of chamber music has to offer. 

April 13

Westminster Hall
1200 Marquette Ave S, Minneapolis

Karol Szymanowski
Mythes for violin and piano, op. 30

Texu Kim
Ritus Sanitatem for string quartet (2022)

Ernő Dohnányi
Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat minor, op. 26

Guest Artists:
Sarah Grimes, violin
Lydia Grimes, viola
Lydia Artymiw, piano

Save the date: Bakken Ensemble's annual fundraiser will follow the April 13 concert.


February 16

Antonello Hall, MacPhail Center for Music
501 S 2nd St, Minneapolis

Jessie Montgomery
Musings for 2 violins (2023)

Terry Riley
Good Medicine–String Quartet No. 10 (1986)

Sergey Taneyev
String Quintet No. 1, op. 14

Guest Artists:
Maureen Nelson, violin
Marlea Simpson, viola
Sonia Mantell, cello

Wine and cheese reception will follow the concert.


Season 2024-2025

November 3

Antonello Hall, MacPhail Center for Music
501 S 2nd St, Minneapolis

Franz Joseph Haydn
Piano Trio No. 32 in A major, Hob. XV:18

Johannes Brahms
Clarinet Trio in A minor, op. 114

Igor Stravinsky
L'Histoire du Soldat for violin, clarinet and piano

Guest Artists:
Sangyoon Kim, clarinet
Hanna Hyunjung Kim, piano

Wine and cheese reception will follow the concert.

​​Kaija Saariaho

Nocturne for solo violin

​​Max Vinetz

Stars on the Ground for string quartet

Stephen Hartke

The King of the Sun: Tableaux for violin, viola, cello and piano

Franz Joseph Haydn

Allegro con spirito from String Quartet in B-flat major, "Sunrise", op. 76 no. 4

These videos are available due in part to the generous support of David Miller, in honor of Mary Dew. 

Contributions in any amount will help us to continue to offer these spectacular musical moments from Minnesota musicians. 

Bakken Ensemble remains committed to supporting artists and artistic programming of the highest quality. We are also committed to keeping our ticket prices affordable, and to presenting high-quality recordings of our concerts in order to serve our patrons who cannot join us in person.

The challenges of the last three years have changed the landscape of funding for non-profit arts organizations like ours. The pandemic has caused many to be cautious about venturing back to the concert hall, resulting in a decrease of our ticket sales. With your support, Bakken Ensemble will remain a welcoming home for innovative chamber music performed by world-class artists. that are living and working right here in the Twin Cities.

Help us support work by Minnesota artists by donating today, in any amount, knowing that there has never been a more important time to partner with us. 

October 22, 2023

Jean Françaix
String Trio in C major

Wynton Marsalis
Meeelaan for Bassoon and String Quartet

Sergei Prokofiev
String Quartet No. 2 in F major, op. 92

Jean Françaix
Divertissement for Bassoon and String Quintet

Guest Artists:
Fei Xie, bassoon
Sophia Mockler, violin
Marlea Simpson, viola
Zachary Cohen, bass


February 25, 2024

Sarah Miller
Remembering
(Dedicated to Mary Dew)

Ludwig van Beethoven
"Heiliger Dankgesang" from String Quartet in A minor, op. 132

Billy Childs
String Quartet No. 2 “Awakening”

Johannes Brahms
String Quintet No. 2 in G major, op. 111


Guest Artists:
Natsuki Kumagai, violin
Marlea Simpson, viola
Sabina Thatcher, viola
Sarah Miller, piano


Past events 2023-2024

April 7, 2024

Kaija Saariaho
Nocturne for solo violin

Max Vinetz
Stars on the Ground for string quartet

Ludwig van Beethoven
Molto adagio from String Quartet in E minor, "Rasumovsky", op. 59 no. 2

Stephen Hartke
The King of the Sun: Tableaux for violin, viola, cello and piano

Franz Joseph Haydn
Allegro con spirito from String Quartet in B-flat major, "Sunrise", op. 76 no. 4

Guest Artists:
Emily Switzer, violin
Daniel Orsen, viola
Timothy Lovelace, piano

Past events 2022-2023

Apr 16, 2023

George Crumb
Sonata for Solo Cello

Gabriela Lena Frank
Leyandas: An Andean Walkabout for String Quartet

Bernard Herrmann
Souvenir du Voyage for Clarinet and String Quartet

Guest Artists:
Kyu-Young Kim, violin
Jenni Seo, viola
Sangyoon Kim, clarinet


Nov 6, 2022

Leonard Bernstein
Piano Trio

Jessie Montgomery
Duo for Violin and Cello

Erich Wolfgang Korngold
String Quartet No. 2, op. 26

Guest Artists
Sarah Grimes, violin
Hyobi Sim, viola
Hanna Hyun-Jung Kim, piano


Jan 22, 2023

John Corigliano
The Red Violin Caprices for Solo Violin

Billy Childs
String Quartet “Unrequited”

Zhao Lin, Zhao Jiping
Red Lantern for Pipa and String Quartet

Guest Artists:
Cece Belcher, violin
Dan Orsen, viola
Gao Hong, pipa