Minnesota Music Educators Association Urges Resolution to Orchestra Lockouts

Minnesota is home to many outstanding performing ensembles. The Minnesota Music Educators Association and Minnesota’s music educators greatly value what these organizations bring to our classrooms and schools.

Minnesota’s professional musicians and ensembles play an important role in the long-term health of music education in our schools. Performances focused on young people introduce students to beautiful music performed at the highest possible levels. Music curriculum is frequently provided in advance for teachers to expand the learning prior to the concert and on return to school. Solo musicians, chamber ensembles and large ensembles go to rural, suburban and urban schools throughout the state. Individual musicians work with students outside of the school day through lessons, master classes, coaching, and youth ensembles. Young musicians considering a career as a musician can look up to local role models.

We are deeply concerned about the lockouts of the Minnesota Orchestra and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.  Tens of thousands of students are directly served each year by the orchestras. Impacts on school music and young musicians are an inevitable impact of continued lockouts. We urge a resolution to the lockouts and a return to performing, working with schools, and inspiring the next generation.