Shruthi Rajasekar Ensembles Program Notes

October 19–24, 2026

Edina High School | Edina, Minnesota

Schedule

Unless otherwise noted, events and the Festival Concert are open to the public.

The public is invited to watch Ms. Rajasekar work with the Festival ensembles on her music at the following rehearsals:

October 19 | 7:00 pm

Medalist Concert Band
Bloomington Jefferson High School

October 21 | 7:30 pm

Minnesota Symphonic Winds
Edina High School

October 22 | 6:50 pm

Seward Concert Band
Sandford Middle School, Minneapolis

October 19–23

Ms. Rajasekar will be conducting clinics, rehearsals, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools. These events are not open to the public.

October 24

Community Band Festival Concert with artist-in-residence Shruthi Rajasekar

Edina High School Auditorium

This is a pay-as-you-wish concert. Donations are welcome, and will be used to help defray festival expenses.

  • 11:30 am–12:30 pm Twin Ports Wind Orchestra rehearsal with Shruthi Rajasekar
  • 1:30–2:30 pm Composer Talk – An extended, open dialogue with Shruthi Rajasekar about creating music
  • 3:00 pm Festival Concert – Each ensemble will perform for approximately 20 minutes
  • 5:00 pm Reception for all in Auditorium Commons

Minnesota Symphonic Winds is excited to announce Let’s Band Together: The Great Minnesota Community Band Festival. We are bringing together four of Minnesota’s finest adult community bands to celebrate and share the unique power of adult music-making in community wind ensembles as well as support historically underrepresented composers.

Our guest artist for the 2026 Festival will be Shruthi Rajasekar, a talented Indian American composer known for creating music that highlights themes of identity, community, and joy. We are confident that her music will bring a fresh and exciting perspective to our event. She will hold rehearsals with Festival participants as well as rehearsals, clinics, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools.

Composer Shruthi Rajasekar is seated outdoors on a stone wall. She is on a riverbank. The river and trees are close by, but out of focus in the background. She is seated with her body angled to the viewer's left with her hands clasped lightly in her lap. She looks at the viewer and gently smiles. She wears traditional Indian style clothing. Her knee-length, v-neck tunic is short sleeved. The tunic is coral with beautiful embroidered details in cream. Her long scarf and pants are cream. She wears matching coral and gold bangle earrings, two gold bracelets on each arm, a gold chain necklace, and a teardrop shaped bindi on her forehead. She has dark brown eyes and her long, dark hair is swept over and back, falling about halfway down her back.

ReyMash Photography

The Festival will culminate with a performance by each of the participating bands: Medalist Concert Band, Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, Seward Concert Band, and Minnesota Symphonic Winds. Each ensemble will play a work by Shruthi Rajasekar, with Twin Ports Wind Orchestra and Seward Concert Band premiering new compositions commissioned by a consortium of 36 organizations from across the country and internationally for the occasion.

 

2026 Let’s Band Together

October 19–24, 2026

Edina High School | Edina, Minnesota

Shruthi Rajasekar Ensembles Program Notes

Minnesota Symphonic Winds is excited to announce Let’s Band Together: The Great Minnesota Community Band Festival. We are bringing together four of Minnesota’s finest adult community bands to celebrate and share the unique power of adult music-making in community wind ensembles as well as support historically underrepresented composers.

Our guest artist for the 2026 Festival will be Shruthi Rajasekar, a talented Indian American composer known for creating music that highlights themes of identity, community, and joy. We are confident that her music will bring a fresh and exciting perspective to our event. She will hold rehearsals with Festival participants as well as rehearsals, clinics, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools.

Composer Shruthi Rajasekar is seated outdoors on a stone wall. She is on a riverbank. The river and trees are close by, but out of focus in the background. She is seated with her body angled to the viewer's left with her hands clasped lightly in her lap. She looks at the viewer and gently smiles. She wears traditional Indian style clothing. Her knee-length, v-neck tunic is short sleeved. The tunic is coral with beautiful embroidered details in cream. Her long scarf and pants are cream. She wears matching coral and gold bangle earrings, two gold bracelets on each arm, a gold chain necklace, and a teardrop shaped bindi on her forehead. She has dark brown eyes and her long, dark hair is swept over and back, falling about halfway down her back.

ReyMash Photography

The Festival will culminate with a performance by each of the participating bands: Medalist Concert Band, Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, Seward Concert Band, and Minnesota Symphonic Winds. Each ensemble will play a work by Shruthi Rajasekar, with Twin Ports Wind Orchestra and Seward Concert Band premiering new compositions commissioned by a consortium of 36 organizations from across the country and internationally for the occasion.

Schedule

Unless otherwise noted, events and the Festival Concert are open to the public.

The public is invited to watch Ms. Rajasekar work with the Festival ensembles on her music at the following rehearsals:

October 19 | 7:00 pm

Medalist Concert Band
Bloomington Jefferson High School

October 21 | 7:30 pm

Minnesota Symphonic Winds
Edina High School

October 22 | 6:50 pm

Seward Concert Band
Sandford Middle School, Minneapolis

October 19–23

Ms. Rajasekar will be conducting clinics, rehearsals, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools. These events are not open to the public.

October 24

Community Band Festival Concert with artist-in-residence Shruthi Rajasekar

Edina High School Auditorium

This is a pay-as-you-wish concert. Donations are welcome, and will be used to help defray festival expenses.

  • 11:30 am–12:30 pm Twin Ports Wind Orchestra rehearsal with Shruthi Rajasekar
  • 1:30–2:30 pm Composer Talk – An extended, open dialogue with Shruthi Rajasekar about creating music
  • 3:00 pm Festival Concert – Each ensemble will perform for approximately 20 minutes
  • 5:00 pm Reception for all in Auditorium Commons

2026 Let’s Band Together

October 19–24, 2026

Edina High School | Edina, Minnesota
Shruthi Rajasekar Ensembles Program Notes

Minnesota Symphonic Winds is excited to announce Let’s Band Together: The Great Minnesota Community Band Festival. We are bringing together four of Minnesota’s finest adult community bands to celebrate and share the unique power of adult music-making in community wind ensembles as well as support historically underrepresented composers.

Our guest artist for the 2026 Festival will be Shruthi Rajasekar, a talented Indian American composer known for creating music that highlights themes of identity, community, and joy. We are confident that her music will bring a fresh and exciting perspective to our event. She will hold rehearsals with Festival participants as well as rehearsals, clinics, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools.

Composer Shruthi Rajasekar is seated outdoors on a stone wall. She is on a riverbank. The river and trees are close by, but out of focus in the background. She is seated with her body angled to the viewer's left with her hands clasped lightly in her lap. She looks at the viewer and gently smiles. She wears traditional Indian style clothing. Her knee-length, v-neck tunic is short sleeved. The tunic is coral with beautiful embroidered details in cream. Her long scarf and pants are cream. She wears matching coral and gold bangle earrings, two gold bracelets on each arm, a gold chain necklace, and a teardrop shaped bindi on her forehead. She has dark brown eyes and her long, dark hair is swept over and back, falling about halfway down her back.

ReyMash Photography

The Festival will culminate with a performance by each of the participating bands: Medalist Concert Band, Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, Seward Concert Band, and Minnesota Symphonic Winds. Each ensemble will play a work by Shruthi Rajasekar, with Twin Ports Wind Orchestra and Seward Concert Band premiering new compositions commissioned by a consortium of 36 organizations from across the country and internationally for the occasion.

Schedule

Unless otherwise noted, events and the Festival Concert are open to the public.

The public is invited to watch Ms. Rajasekar work with the Festival ensembles on her music at the following rehearsals:

October 19 | 7:00 pm

Medalist Concert Band
Bloomington Jefferson High School

October 21 | 7:30 pm

Minnesota Symphonic Winds
Edina High School

October 22 | 6:50 pm

Seward Concert Band
Sandford Middle School, Minneapolis

October 19–23

Ms. Rajasekar will be conducting clinics, rehearsals, and discussions at six Twin Cities area high schools. These events are not open to the public.

October 24

Community Band Festival Concert with artist-in-residence Shruthi Rajasekar

Edina High School Auditorium

This is a pay-as-you-wish concert. Donations are welcome, and will be used to help defray festival expenses.

  • 11:30 am–12:30 pm Twin Ports Wind Orchestra rehearsal with Shruthi Rajasekar
  • 1:30–2:30 pm Composer Talk – An extended, open dialogue with Shruthi Rajasekar about creating music
  • 3:00 pm Festival Concert – Each ensemble will perform for approximately 20 minutes
  • 5:00 pm Reception for all in Auditorium Commons

2026 Let’s Band Together