2023-2024 Season Schedule | 2024 Summer Pops


All performances will be held in the Masquerade Dance Theater at the Ames Center in Burnsville unless otherwise noted.


Animalia: A Family Concert

Sunday, October 8, 2:00 PM
Pre-Concert Activities from 1 to 1:45 PM
Featuring the Dakota Valley Symphony and Jake Endres, Narrator

Dakota Valley Symphony is excited to welcome back Jake Endres to narrate another family-oriented concert. The 2023-2024 season kicks off with opportunities for families with young children to introduce their little ones to the performing arts in a children-friendly atmosphere. Children’s tickets are free with an adult ticket.

Join us for an afternoon of interactive children’s activities:
1:00-1:45 – Exhibits from MN Zoo Zoomobile (Live animals will NOT be present)
2:00 Concert – Bring your favorite stuffed animal for the teddy bear parade!
Following the concert – “Meet the Instruments”

Francis Poulenc: The Story of Babar the Little Elephant
Edward Elgar: The Wand of Youth
Wild Bears
Tame Bear
Moths and Butterflies
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Czar Sultan: Flight of the Bumble Bee
Leroy Anderson: Old MacDonald’s Farm
Jerry Hermann: Teddy Bear’s Picnic (with parade of stuffed animals)

Tickets are $15 per adult. Each adult can bring up to 4 children with them at no additional cost. Children must be accompanied by an adult.


Home for the Holidays

Sunday, December 3, 2:00 PM
Featuring the Dakota Valley Symphony

Featuring a collaboration with the International Festival of Burnsville for pre-concert, intermission, and post-concert festivities.

Join the Dakota Valley Symphony & Chorus for all the Joyous music of Christmas including: Joy to the World, Deck the Halls, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful, and Good King Wenceslas plus a wide selection of music from the many cultures that comprise the Dakota County communities.

This concert is centered on the story of Mary and Joesph’s quest to find a place in Bethlehem to have their Holy Child: The Party of the Inn (La Fiesta de la Posada) as told by American jazz Icon: Dave Brubeck surrounded by traditional choral works including the Halleluiah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. As a special Holiday treat the International Festivals of Burnsville will present festivities around the concert.

Dave Brubeck: La Fiesta de la Posada
Bill Holcombe: Festive Sounds of Hanukkah
LeRoy Anderson: Christmas Festival
Georg Friedrich Handel: Halleluiah Chorus from the Messsiah
John Rutter: Three Favorite Carols
Sheperd’s Pipe Carol
Nativity Carol
Candlelight Carol/Christmas Lullaby
Antonio Vivaldi: Gloria (excerpt)


Masquerade: A Mardi Gras Celebration

Sunday, February 4, 2:00 PM
Featuring the Dakota Valley Symphony

Antonin Dvorak: Carnival Overture
Erik Whitacre: Godzilla Eats Las Vegas
Arr. John Rutter: When the Saints Go Marching In
Hector Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture
And more choral favorites

The time between Christmas and Easter all over the world is a time for parties, masked balls, elaborate celebrations and intimate gatherings of all sorts. As this concert travels to New Orleans, Las Vegas, Prague, and Paris, sometimes festive and sometimes a little campy seeks to bring these celebrations to the heart of the Ames Center.


String Works III

Thursday, March 14 at 7:00 PM
Featuring the Dakota Valley Symphony in a joint concert with the Burnsville High School Orchestra and special guest guitar soloist Dr. Christopher Kachian performing Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata.

Please note that this performance is on a different day and time than our usual concert Sunday AND ALSO at a different location. It will be held at the Mraz Center located in Burnsville High School.

This concert is free to the public. Tickets are not required. The high school orchestra will collect a free will donation from audience members to support their program.


Young Artists' Concert

Sunday, April 21 at 2:00 PM
Featuring the Dakota Valley Symphony and the annual Young Artists Competition winners.

Ottorino Respighi: Pines of Rome
Randy Stokes: The Light Fantastic
Gioachino Rossini: William Tell Overture
Young Artists’ Competition Winners

The young artists’ who appear in this concert are admired by many for their maturity of spirit and facility of technique. One can hardly believe the talent and dedication exhibited by these young people. Young Artists’ Competition performances are surrounded by two well-loved and thrillingly colorful works by Italian composers Respighi and Rossini. With the Respighi, especially, Dakota Valley Symphony will bring the largest orchestra in recent memory and experiment with surround-sound in the Ames Center.