Friday, October 16, 2026 // 

Nearly 200 people joined us for our October 15 Concerts by the Creek—and what an evening of music it was! Minnesota Orchestra cellists Anthony (Tony) Ross and Beth Rapier have graced our concert series several times over the years, and their programs are always something special. Tony and Beth have a wonderful gift for bringing together stellar musicians—many of them their colleagues from the Minnesota Orchestra—and this concert was no exception.

Joining Tony and Beth were Lydia Grimes, Sarah Grimes, Burt Hara, Susie Park, and Sabina Thatcher for a dynamic program of Brahms and Mozart. Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major filled the room with the rich, warm sound of six strings, moving from sweeping, songful passages to moments of intensity, energy, and exuberance. Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major brought a different character to the evening, with clarinet and strings in a remarkable musical conversation—at turns graceful and lyrical, playful and spirited, tender and joyful.

The musicians brought all of those contrasts beautifully to life, and the warmth and energy in the room were unmistakable. One guest summed up the evening afterward with perhaps the highest praise of all: “That was better than the Symphony!”

Several concertgoers also shared what a treat it was to hear Burt Hara perform again. A longtime Minnesota Orchestra musician who later joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hara’s return to a Minnesota stage made the evening even more memorable.

Our thanks to this extraordinary group of musicians, to our volunteers, to everyone who joined us, and to the Matson Music Fund— together, you make evenings like this possible.

See more photos from this event by visiting our parish photo site.