Minnesota Orchestra’s free day of music to include “Great Gate of Kiev” with bells ringing throughout the city

On July 16, the Minnesota Orchestra’s annual free International Day of Music will return this summer for the first time since the pandemic began, marking the opening weekend of the orchestra’s summer season at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Running from noon to midnight, the event showcases performances by 20 different ensembles—from Salsa del Soul to Lady Midnight—on four stages, including a free performance by the Minnesota Orchestra outdoors. Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin will lead a one-hour program that culminates in the “Great Gate of Kiev” movement from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. At the conclusion of the piece, church bells across downtown Minneapolis will peal in coordination. Organized in partnership with City of Bells—the Minneapolis nonprofit dedicated to coordinating, restoring and celebrating bells throughout the community—the concert will include bells ringing at five downtown churches: St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, the Basilica of St. Mary, St. Olaf Catholic Church, and Central Lutheran Church, as well as Westminster Presbyterian Church, located directly across 12th Street from Peavey Plaza, where the orchestra will be performing.