For ten days in November, Orchestra Hall on Nicollet Mall turns Nordic. The Minnesota Orchestra’s Nordic Soundscapes Festival brings Norwegian, Finnish and Danish music to the stage across two weekends, with a family concert in between, and it is a good excuse to spend a few weeks downtown without worrying about the car. Here is the schedule, and how a month-to-month studio at Oakland’s on 9th fits around it.
What is the Nordic Soundscapes Festival?
It is a run of Minnesota Orchestra concerts built around Northern European composers, with Music Director Thomas Søndergård leading the first weekend and Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä leading the second. The Orchestra’s listings label each program as part of the Nordic Soundscapes Festival, and press coverage describes Scandinavian food, cocktails and crafts planned around the concerts.
The concert schedule, Nov. 5–14
- Søndergård, Parker and Sibelius: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 11 AM, Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 PM and Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 PM. The program is selections from Grieg’s Norwegian Dances, Hillborg’s MAX Concerto with pianist Jon Kimura Parker, and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. It runs about two hours with intermission.
- The Musical Tales of Hans Christian Andersen: Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 PM. This is a one-hour, no-intermission relaxed family concert, designed for all ages including people with autism or sensory sensitivities.
- Vänskä, Chen and Nielsen: Friday, Nov. 13 at 8 PM and Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 PM. Tarkiainen’s Songs of the Ice, Kuusisto’s Violin Concerto and Nielsen’s Symphony No. 6, about two hours with intermission.
Those times come from the Orchestra’s calendar as of October 6, and tickets are sold there. Programs and times can change, so confirm before you plan around a specific night. Our guide to the Orchestra’s 2026–27 season covers the rest of the year.
Why stay downtown for a concert run?
Orchestra Hall is at 1111 Nicollet Mall and Oakland’s on 9th is at 215 South 9th Street, both in downtown Minneapolis, so this is a walkable pairing. We will not put a minute count on it because everyone walks at a different pace and November weather varies; pull up a map and judge for yourself. The skyway system is a block from our door (we are not directly connected, so you do walk a block to reach it). If you would rather not drive at all, our guide to getting around without a car has the practical details. Guests who do bring a car can read our parking page.
The festival spans two weekends with a gap in the middle, which suits a longer stay. A furnished studio lets you book a few nights for the first weekend, a week or more for both, or stay on by the month, with no contract. Every studio has a full kitchen, and WiFi, utilities, heat and free laundry are included. If you are comparing room types, our breakdown of the Good, Better and Best studios will help.
Make an evening of it
Concert nights are better with an unhurried afternoon beforehand. The Thursday 11 AM and Sunday 2 PM performances leave the evening free, and our guide to museums you can visit without a car pairs well with a matinee. For everything else on the downtown calendar that month, including Timberwolves home games, see our November 2026 downtown guide.
Book your stay
Oakland’s on 9th is a restored 1889 brownstone with furnished, month-to-month studios in the heart of downtown. Check dates and book here, or call us at (612) 314-5124 and we will help you pick a studio for your concert weekend.
Keep reading: Where Should You Stay for the Minneapolis Christkindl Market?