About Us
Music You Love In Your Own Backyard
The St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra has been providing continuous music in Central Minnesota since 1976. We present four formal concert programs, in which we perform major works and accompany national and international guest artists. The St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra has a focus on providing opportunities for expression to the musicians of Central Minnesota, including those from St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and other communities
The St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra offers the only proximate opportunity for local professional musicians to perform with other high-level artists. Members of our orchestra are from the St. Cloud area, other Central Minnesota communities, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. More than half of the members of the orchestra are faculty, staff, alumni, and students of area colleges and universities.
Meet Our Musicians
Our Symphony is made up of musicians from all walks of life. With a common passion for music, every artist has different talents, skillsets, and levels of experience. We are all honored to perform for you.
We are Proud to Welcome the SCSO’s newly appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Hisham Bravo Groover!
Maestro Groover is also Music Director and Conductor of the Buffalo Community Orchestra (Minnesota) and served as Assistant Conductor of the University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre from 2019-2022.
Administrative Staff
Board of Directors
Ross Detert, President
Mark Springer, Vice President
Allen Horn, Treasurer
Jill Pattock, Secretary
Tamara Bottge
Jennifer Kalpin
Suzanne Mesna
Gary Osberg
Brad Gordon Ufer
Artistic Partners
The Saint Cloud Symphony is proud to collaborate with the Great River Chorale for our 2022-2023 Season
GREAT RIVER CHORALE is an acclaimed 50-voice auditioned choir based in St. Cloud that draws its members from twenty communities across Central Minnesota. Ensemble members range from 22 to 75 years of age and share a passion for singing choral music at the highest artistic level. Each season Great River Chorale presents an independent series of concerts and outreach performances in St. Cloud and the surrounding area and is the principal choral partner of the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble is often featured on Classical Minnesota Public Radio’s “Regional Spotlight” and has been selected three times for Classical MPR’s Taste of the Holidays CD featuring the best of Minnesota’s regional ensembles. Great River Chorale was founded in 2001 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization.
Dr. Mary Kay Geston was appointed artistic director of Great River Chorale in 2010 and named artistic managing director in 2015. She has taught at universities in Minnesota, Colorado, and South Dakota and has been a guest conductor for all-state and festival choirs across the country and in Taiwan and South Korea. Choirs under her direction have performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and at state and division professional conferences. She is president of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) North Central Division, chair of the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund Committee, and was named ACDA of Minnesota’s 2012 Choral Conductor of the Year.