The Minot Symphony Orchestra will present “Twist and Shout,” a live performance for the whole family, on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall located inside Old Main on the campus of Minot State University.

“Having the family concert at 3 in the afternoon encourages parents to bring their children, as it won’t interfere with bedtime. It also encourages those who don’t like to drive in the dark to come out and enjoy live music,” said Executive Director Ellen Fenner.

The concert will feature the winner of the annual MSO North Dakota High School Soloist Competition Hayden Fredrickson. Fredrickson will perform the first movement of David Gillingham’s “Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Orchestra.” He is a junior at Minot’s Magic City Campus. His first formal music education was at the Minot Children’s Music Academy at the age of 3, where he learned how to play piano. Fredrickson has participated in the Northwest Festival of Music since 2017. He is a member of Minot City Band, Brass Band of Minot, Magic City Campus Varsity Winds Band, and Magi Drumline.

“A competition like this requires a tremendous amount of preparation from performers. In working with Hayden, I have found that he is always up for a challenge, and when he tackles a big project, he goes at it 100%. Being chosen as the MSO soloist is quite an honor. I am so happy to see Hayden’s enthusiasm and work ethic rewarded,” said Avis Veikley, associate professor of music, Division of Performing Arts, Minot State University.

The concert will educate patrons of all ages with Benjamin Britten’s famous, “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Guest narrator will be Minot native and Miss North Dakota USA Caitlyn Vogel. Vogel is pursuing her bachelor of science degree in nursing at MSU. She also models locally and nationally with designers like Rachel Allan and Sherri Hill. In November, Vogel represented North Dakota at the national Miss USA pageant where she placed first runner up.

The concert will feature a number of other selections.

Pre-concert activities including an Instrument Petting Zoo and a pre-concert talk beginning at 2 p.m. Eckroth Music of Minot will offer the Instrument Petting Zoo which will allow concertgoers of all ages the opportunity to try out a variety of instruments an hour prior to the performance and again during intermission. The 30-minute pre-concert talk will provide an engaging overview of the works being performed, the story behind the music, the composer, and historical context will be presented one hour before the concert by Tim Baumann, International Music Camp director and member of the symphony.

Current COVID-19 guidelines as mandated by MSU will be followed. Social distancing and masks are not required at this time but are strongly encouraged. This is subject to change as the COVID-19 pandemic changes. For patrons not comfortable attending a live performance or are not able to travel, the performance will be available via livestream.

Tickets start at $25 for adults with senior and student discounts available. Individual tickets, and Flex Passes are available. A Flex Pass, which includes six concert tickets for the price of five, can be used for multiple tickets to the same performance or spread out between performances. All tickets are available at www.minotsymphony.com or through the box office at 858-4228. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

The next MSO performance is March 5 as the group pays tribute to American composer, conductor and pianist John Williams’ 90th birthday.

The MSO season will conclude on April 30 and feature the Heartland Marimbas, the 2021 Young Composition Contest winner, and “Mahler Symphony No. 1.”

The symphony is directed by Maestro Efrain Amaya, associate professor of music at MSU.

The project is supported in part by a grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.