30+ years running! Featuring must-see national acts and standout local opening artists, these free, un-ticketed outdoor music events are held on five consecutive Sunday evenings in downtown Rochester, Minnesota along the Zumbro River.
Stellar music, gorgeous green space, plus local food vendors and giveaways. These shows are for everyone, and we hope to see you in the park!
Save the dates - we'll see you next year! 2025 dates:
Introduction: Stile Antico is firmly established as one of the world’s most accomplished and innovative vocal ensembles. Working without a conductor, its twelve mem
Intro Text
Tickets: $29 • $26.50 (Members) -- Stile Antico is firmly established as one of the world’s most accomplished and innovative vocal ensembles. Working without a conductor, its twelve members have thrilled audiences throughout Europe and North America with their fresh, vibrant and moving performances of Renaissance polyphony. Its bestselling recordings on the Harmonia Mundi label have earned numerous accolades including the Gramophone Award for Early Music.
On Sunday, October 29 at 2:00PM (special matinee performance) in the Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, the classical/rennaisance vocal ensemble STILE ANTICO. Sponsored by: KTTC
Stile Antico burst onto the musical scene in July 2005 with competition success at the York Early Music Festival, and in a single decade has established itself as one of the world's most accomplished and innovative vocal ensembles.
In 2015, in celebration of the Stile Antico's first decade, the group’s record label (Harmonia mundi) invited each member to choose a favorite work from their recordings-to-date that they felt best represented an ideal introduction to Renaissance polyphony, and to Stile Antico’s work as a whole, (drawing on Stile Antico's already-formidable legacy of prize-winning recordings) to create a tenth anniversary compilation album entitled Sing with the Voice of Melody. WATCH - LISTEN
Stile Antico will be performing selections from this tenth anniversary compilation album, as well as other mouthwatering examples of polyphonic music from England and Continental Europe, at 2PM on Sunday, October 29th in the newly rejuvenated Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall . This will be the first non-amplified, acoustic performance in the Presentation Hall since its 2.2 million dollar transformational upgrade that includes acoustician approved room treatments and sound system, beautiful new stage lighting, and significantly more comfortable seating.
THE PROGRAM
William Byrd: Vigilate Robert Ramsey: Sleep, Fleshly Birth Orlando Gibbons: O Clap Your Hands Together Cristóbal de Morales: Jubilate Deo Tomás Luis de Victoria: O vos omnes John McCabe: Woefully Arrayed
Thomas Tallis: Gloria from Missa Puer natus est nobis Sebastián de Vivanco: Veni, dilecte mi Jacobus Clemens non Papa: Ego flos campi Byrd: Ecce virgo concipiet Tallis: In pace Huw Watkins: The Phoenix and the Turtle Thomas Tomkins: O Praise The Lord
About the Artists: Stile Anticois firmly established as one of the world’s most accomplished and innovative vocal ensembles. Working without a conductor, its twelve members have thrilled audiences throughout Europe and North America with their fresh, vibrant and moving performances of Renaissance polyphony. Its bestselling recordings on the Harmonia Mundi label have earned accolades including the Gramophone Award for Early Music, Diapason d’or de l’année, Edison Klassiek Award, and Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and have twice received Grammy® nominations.
Based in London, Stile Antico has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals. The group enjoys a particularly close association with the Wigmore Hall, and has appeared at the BBC Proms, Buckingham Palace, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Cité de la Musique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, and Luxembourg Philharmonie. Stile Antico isfrequently invited to perform at Europe’s leading festivals: highlights include the Lucerne Easter Festival, the Rheingau, Schleswig-Holstein and Wrocław Festivals and the Antwerp, Barcelona, Bruges, Granada, Utrecht and York Early Music Festivals.
Since making its North American debut at the Boston Early Music Festival in 2009, Stile Antico has enjoyed frequent tours to the US and Canada. The group performs regularly in Boston and in New York’s Music before 1800 and Miller Theatre series, and has appeared at Washington’s National Cathedral and Library of Congress, Vancouver’s Chan Centre, the Quebec Festival of Sacred Music, at Duke, Michigan, and Yale Universities, and in concert series spanning nineteen US states. In 2010, Stile Antico made its debut at the Cervantino festival in Mexico.
Stile Antico is renowned for the committed and expressive performances that arise from its uniquely collaborative style of working: members rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing artistically to the musical results. The group is also noted for its intelligent programming, drawing out thematic connections between works to shine new light on Renaissance music. In addition to its core repertoire, Stile Antico has given world premieres of works by John McCabe, Huw Watkins, and, most recently, Nico Muhly, whose Gentle Sleep was written to mark the group’s tenth birthday. Stile Antico’s diverse range of collaborators includes Fretwork and the Folger Consort of viols, pianist Marino Fomenti, orchestra B’Rock, and Sting.
Alongside its concert and recording work, Stile Antico is passionate about sharing its repertoire and working style with the widest possible audience, and its masterclasses and workshops are much in demand. The group regularly leads courses at the Dartington International Summer School, and is often invited to work alongside ensembles at universities, festivals, and early music forums. The support of the charitable Stile Antico Foundation has enabled Stile Antico to expand its education work in schools, and to offer annual bursaries to talented young consort singers.
Highlights of Stile Antico’s 2016-7 season include a residency at BOZAR in Brussels, performances at the Wigmore Hall, Leipzig Gewandhaus and Bruges Concertgebouw, two vists to North America, and the conclusion of the group’s acclaimed Shakespeare400 tour. Stile Antico’s eleventh recording for Harmonia Mundi, featuring the unjustly neglected sacred music of Giaches de Wert, was released early in 2017.
Tickets available at Riverside Concerts in City Hall (walk-in or by phone, no handling fees), the Mayo Civic Center Box Office (walk-in, no handling fees), and Ticketmaster (online). Memberships and ticket packages can be purchased through Riverside Concerts only. Order by phone at 507-328-2200 or 800-657-3980 or in person at 201 4th St. SE, Suite 170 (City Hall). Group rates available.
CART captioning will be available here or via QR code in the park. Please bring a data-connected digital device (phone, tablet, laptop) to access this streaming service.
Assistance with CART will be available at the Public Music tent. Please contact Public Music for questions about additional accessibility accommodations.
Where
All concerts take place in Mayo Park, located in downtown Rochester behind the Mayo Civic Center. Concertgoers are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to the shows if possible.
when
Save the dates - we'll see you next year! 2025 dates:
July 13, 2025
July 20, 2025
July 27, 2025
August 3, 2025
August 10, 2025
Music will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude between 9:30 and 10 p.m.
Food vendors will be onsite at 6 p.m. Come early to get food from local vendors and choose your spot in the park!
cost
Concerts are free and open to the public!
Meet & Greets
Interested in meeting the headliners? We partner with local radio stations to give away FREE backstage passes. Check here for information about how to win a pass.
Giveaways
On opening night, stop by the Think Bank tent to receive a FREE, limited edition Riverside Music Series t-shirt! Shirts are available in limited quantity - arrive early to be sure to get one!
And at each concert, Think Bank gives away a FREE electric guitar autographed by the headliner. Enter the giveaway by completing a survey by 7:45 p.m. on show day. Surveys can be completed at the Think Bank tent, by visiting the survey webpage, or by scanning a QR code at the event. Must be present to win.
Directions & parking
Mayo Park is directly accessible from nearby walking paths and bike trails, and concertgoers are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to the shows if possible.
Ample free parking is available nearby, with public ramps, on-street meters, and City-owned surface lots all free to use on weekends and evenings. Accessible parking is available in all public parking ramps, and several designated accessible parking spaces are available on Civic Center Drive. Additional information about parking is available on the Mayo Civic Center website.
Seating
Space in the park is available on a first come, first served basis. Come early to choose your spot! We do not allow the use of ropes or stakes to reserve space.
We encourage you to bring lawn chairs or blankets to the events; seats are not provided.
items to bring
Coolers, food, drink, lawn chairs, blankets, and other items to make your experience more comfortable are welcome and encouraged. Please leave grills and pets, with the exception of service animals, at home.
concessions
Local food and beverage vendors will have a variety of options for sale. Vendors will be onsite at 5 p.m.
Smoking
Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited in Mayo Park.
Restrooms
Restrooms inside the Mayo Civic Center will be available for use. Entrances to the indoor restrooms are on either side of the stage through doors marked 16 and 19.
Additional portable toilets are located in the park near the food vendors.
Weather Policy
Concerts will take place outdoors rain or shine. Ponchos are preferred over umbrellas to keep sightlines unobstructed. In the case of threatening weather, the concert may be delayed, postponed, or, as a last resort, cancelled.
For weather related updates the day of the event, please check our event updates page or social media accounts.
Soliciting
In order to make our events enjoyable for all, we respectfully request that public and private parties refrain from campaigning or soliciting at the Riverside events. We appreciate your consideration.
Down by the Riverside has been sponsored by Think Bank since 2008.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.