The Changing Mission:

The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra are deeply committed, both individually and collectively, to enriching and vitalizing our community through inspiring performances of classical music. Until recent years, the Board and Management were united with Musicians in this mission.

In 2012, without input from the majority of community stakeholders such as audience members, donors, musicians, and taxpayers, the Board and Management of the MOA reallocated financial and staff resources to pops and entertainment presentations and removed the word “orchestra” from the Minnesota Orchestra’s mission statement. The MOA stated in January 2013 that they would return to the original mission statement, while adding additional language about fiscal sustainability. However, the musicians and the public have yet to see this revised mission statement and there is no mission statement of any kind to be found on the MOA website.

In principle, mission statements should be about the organization’s fundamental purpose – its reason for existing in the first place. The Minnesota Orchestra’s fundamental purpose is to perform classical music at the highest level. While financial sustainability is desirable, it is not the reason the Minnesota Orchestra exists.

The Musicians believe that our Board and Management have an ethical and fiduciary responsibility to continue to nurture our community’s love of great orchestral music, the mission for which generations of donors have endowed the Minnesota Orchestra.

OLD MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to enrich and inspire our community as a symphony orchestra internationally recognized for its artistic excellence.

Our mission will be implemented by:

• Enhancing the traditional core of concerts with innovative approaches to programming and format;
• Providing the finest educational and outreach programs;
• Representing and promoting the Minnesota Orchestra and the State of Minnesota to audiences across the state,  across the country and around the world through tours and electronic media;
• Maintaining an acoustically superior hall with a welcoming environment.

NEW MISSION STATEMENT

The Minnesota Orchestral Association inspires, educates and serves our community through internationally recognized performances of exceptional music delivered within a sustainable financial structure.