Community Outreach

Each season, we invite our visiting musicians to take part in a variety of community events. Activities with an educational component take place in schools, as well as after-school programs, senior centers, and community centers such as the St. Cloud Public Library. Lecture demonstrations, mini-concerts, masterclasses, workshops, and pre-concert talks cultivate familiarity, understanding, and appreciation of this special art form as well as increase access to our programs.

Some of our visiting groups conduct masterclasses or workshops for students and adult amateur musicians. Pre-concert talks by ensemble members augment the concert experience, and we encourage artists to make comments from the stage to enhance the rapport between performers and the audience.

Some of these masterclasses and workshops might include a fee. Often, this will vary by the hosting organization; be it a nursing home, the Whitney Senior Center, the VA Health Care Center, or another area location. 

Family Concerts

CMS invites two of our guest artist ensembles to perform family concerts while they are in town. The programs are designed for children and adults to enjoy together using “adult” repertoire chosen for their universal appeal and presented in smaller quantities, and include time for explanations and questions and answers. Family Concerts are held at the St. Cloud Public Library and sponsored by the Great River Regional Library.  Admission to Family Concerts is free.

Often, visiting groups perform these events earlier on the same day as the full-length evening concert. The concerts are designed to include explanations and a question and answer section suitable for smaller, more intimate audiences and learning opportunities for children and families. 

We encourage you to bring your children to these concerts as often as possible, and we thank the sponsors of these programs for making them available.