Minnesota Orchestra

What it reported doing in 2024

The grammy award-winning Minnesota orchestra is recognized for outstanding performances in Minnesota and around the world, as well as for critically-acclaimed recordings, livestreams, and radio and tv broadcasts, and a longtime commitment to music education and engagement programs.more than 230,000 guests attended in-person Minnesota orchestra concerts in 2024-25, hailing from 83 of 87 Minnesota counties, all 50 states and 24 countries.the 2024-25 season was a year in which music director thomas sundergard introduced signature artistic projects ranging from the critically acclaimed nordic soundscapes festival and opera-in-concert performances of turandot to a new recording partnership with pentatone. The orchestra also celebrated pianist jon kimura parker's five-year tenure as creative partner for summer at orchestra; launched an initiative offering the ensemble's complete catalogue of digital concerts for free; and marked the 50th anniversary of orchestra hall, while renaming its auditorium to honor the generosity of long-time orchestra philanthropists nancy and john lindahl. The season also saw progress in the development of the upper harbor amphitheater, the 8,000-capacity concert venue along the Mississippi river to be jointly operated by first avenue and the orchestra. With the orchestra raising needed private funds from a consortium of supporters to advance the public-private partnership, mayor jacob frey and the minneapolis city council approved the project in july. The orchestra continued its partnership with twin cities pbs and yourclassical mpr to produce the broadcast and livestream series this is Minnesota orchestra. Across the season the orchestra produced four live concerts for audiences around the world and offered them free of charge on tv, radio and online streaming; Minnesota orchestra concerts, performance excerpts and other shorts on youtube were viewed 828,293 times in the last season. In total, the orchestra's radio broadcasts and audio streaming reached more than 2.5 million people.Minnesota orchestra young people's concerts welcomed 28,194 students from 232 schools and 91 cities across the state to experience classical music at orchestra hall. The orchestra's relaxed family concerts and sensory-friendly programs reached thousands more children and their parents. An additional 7,815 young people attended concerts for free, as part of the hall pass program.in july the orchestra presented summer at orchestra hall, a multi-week festival that brought audiences downtown to romantic era music, all curated by pianist and creative partner jon kimura parker. Whether performing at orchestra hall, across the metro, on a recording or a digital platform, the Minnesota orchestra remains committed to bringing people together through music.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 77.2%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 80.1%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $12.11 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 95%; rating input score 95; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 5.6%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.46; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.6%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.3% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings