CMSA 2026, Minnesota
Evening Programs
We have a stellar lineup of evening entertainment, free and open to the public, even! Bring your friends and family.
Join us in the main ballroom to be dazzled by two sets of music from our guest artists!
8:00pm: René Izquierdo
Program to be announced.
9:00pm: Ashley Hoyer
Program to be announced.
Join us in the main ballroom to be dazzled by two sets of music from our guest artists!
8:00pm: Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra
Program to be announced.
9:00pm: Chris Acquavella
Program to be announced.
8:00pm: Chris Acquavella & René Izquierdo
Program to be announced.
If your seat is taken by someone in dressed in black who could conceivably be a musician, shoo them away and tell them to warm up for the main event.
9:00pm: The CMSA En Masse Orchestra
You are in for treat, flavored with a musical tour around the world! Jim Bates has prepared the following program.
Music for Play by Claudio Mandonico
We begin our journey in Italy, not with an early 20th-century work, but with a more modern one. Claudio Mandonico’s three-movement work, Music for Play, provides an exciting opener for the audience and varied musical challenges for players. The first measure, “Entrata,” taken at an allegro tempo, is followed by the beautiful and moving “Canzona.” The piece’s finale, “Ritmico,” concludes with galloping layers of rhythm and melody.
The En Masse Orchestra performed Mandonico’s Iberia at the 2019 convention in Bloomington, Illinois.
Okinawa Suite by Miwa Naito
Japanese composer Miwa Naito’s Okinawa Suite has many opportunities for beautiful expression, especially the guitar section, as well as a small dose of extended techniques to tease the sonic palette.
To CMSA regulars, this piece may serve as a prequel, as we performed Miwa Naito’s Okinawa Suite II at the 2014 convention in Portland.
Tale of Two Cities by Chris Acquavella
The centerpiece of the program is Chris Acquavella’s exciting new work, which brings together both local color and a world premiere. Tale of Two Cities begins with “St. Paul” demonstrating beautiful counterpoint. The interlude titled “Mendota Bridge” shimmers with tremolo to contrast the hard driving rock-and-roll in the “Minneapolis” second movement. Chris Acquavella is one of the great composers of modern works for plucked-string orchestra. This new piece is certain to be viewed as an important addition to the modern repertoire – and great fun to learn and play, too!
The En Masse Orchestra dazzled another Bloomington convention audience in 2019 with Chris’ most well-known work, Yutuma.
The City Awakens by Emiel Stöpler
The Dutch composer and guitarist, Emiel Stöpler’s lively The City Awakens captures the vibrant and optimistic energy of an urban landscape with Emiel’s characteristic rhythmic style derived from minimalism and popular music.
Turkish Suite by Burkhard Wolters
The concluding work of the program brings the exotic sounds and rhythms of Turkey to the convention audience. German composer and guitarist Burkard Wolters’ Turkish Suite uses evocative scales and asymmetrical rhythmic play to complete our musical travelogue.