About MSO
Orchestras were formed ad hoc in
Mankato as far back as the 1880s to accompany the area’s many choral groups,
and by the turn of the 20th century, Handel’s Messiah had become an annual
event. In 1922, a full orchestra accompanied the Messiah for the first
time, conducted by an alumna of the Boston Conservatory.
Symphony orchestras came and went in the Mankato area until 1950, when
the local musicians’ union, the State Teacher's College (now Minnesota
State University, Mankato), Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, and
the Mankato public schools joined forces to organize a permanent orchestra.
The Mankato Symphony Orchestra came into being from that effort.
Since that time, the Mankato Symphony has grown to become a cornerstone
of the arts in the Mankato area. The Orchestra has had nine conductors
over its history. Our current conductor is Kenneth Freed.
In 2010 the Mankato Symphony Orchestra will celebrate its 60th year anniversary!