Bookmark and Share Subscribe View our YouTube Channel Become a fan

Mission

Mission Statement

The Music Department's mission is codified in Section 18 of the Rochester Code of Ordinances.  The mandate of Riverside Concerts is to:   

  • Develop, organize, promote and administer a comprehensive, coordinated music program for the City.
  • Provide music for the general public within the limits of the funds made available for that purpose.
  • Promote and encourage all music and musical activities of a public nature in the city of Rochester and vicinity.
  • Accept gifts and bequests for the benefit of the music program.
  • Incur obligations for commodities and services to the extent authorized in its budget by the Common Council provided, however, that all proceedings in connection with contracts which must be let upon advertisement and public bids shall be by the Common Council.
  • Take possession and assume responsibility for all property now or hereafter acquired and devoted exclusively to the music program of the City.

Artistic Vision Statement

Riverside Concerts is a City department that provides the community with opportunities for high quality, diverse, and accessible musical and educational programs. The department offers a broad range of concerts, performance opportunities for area musicians, and artistic support services that help make Rochester a more livable community and contribute to the quality of life of its citizens. The department also seeks to expose audiences to the creative process in its many forms -- what and how others create, and to engage the citizens in creative acts.  Both a presenter and producer, Riverside Concerts values the diversity of cultural expression and traditions, fosters the preservation and advancement of diverse musical genres, creates a sense of welcoming and belonging, enhances the enjoyment of life, and celebrates community when programming events.

Organizational Values

Riverside Concerts strives to offer programs and services that help make Rochester a more livable community and contribute to the quality of life of its citizens.  To that end, the Department endeavors to provide the a music program that:

  • Values the diversity of cultural expression and traditions.
  • Fosters the preservation and the advancement of a broad spectrum of art forms, genres, and methods.
  • Creates a sense of welcoming and belonging.
  • Enhances the enjoyment of life.
  • Celebrates community.

Riverside Concerts' Advisory Board

Marv Mitchell, President
Patricia Barrier, Immediate Past President
Carol Berteotti, Vice President
Becky Buzard, Secretary/Treasurer
Brittney Sorensen, At-Large
Dennis Brooks
Desmond Foy
Chris Holloway
Karuna Ojanen
William Smith Jr.

Artists

The following is a list of artists Riverside Concerts has presented in the past:

A

.38 Special
6 Mile Grove (Lyle)
Aaron Neville
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble
Adam Wayne Wollenberg (Rochester)
Air Supply
Al Berard and the Basin Brothers (Cajun) 
Alpha Yaya Diallo (African)
Altan (Celtic)
America
Andy Griggs (Country)
Andy McKee
Annie Lawler & Wheelhouse (Rochester)
Annie Mack (Rochester)
Anonymous 4
Anoushka Shankar
Art Kistler as Elvis (Rochester)
Asleep at the Wheel  (Western Swing)
Arlo Guthrie (Folk) 

B

Back On Track (Rochester) 
Backlash (Rochester) 
Battlefield Band (Celtic)
BeauSoleil
Becky Schlegel & True Blue (Northfield) 
Bettye LaVette
Bernard Allison
Beto y los Fairlanes (Salsa)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants (Blues)
Big Wu, The
Bill Harley & the Troublemakers
Billy Alcorn 
Bjorn Again: The Abba Experience
Black Valentyne
Blind Boys of Alabama
Blue Earth featuring Mary Jane Alm
Blue Oyster Cult 
Bluff Brothers (Rochester) 
Bobby McFerrin's "Circle Songs"
Booker Mini Band (Rochester)
Bowfire
Boys of the Lough
British Export
Buckinghams,The
Buckwheat Zydeco 

C

Canadian Brass
Cantus
Cara Dillon
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Cartoon Rodeo (Rochester)
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Cathie Ryan
Cedric Watson
Chace Roberts 
Chanticleer
Charleston String Quartet
Chenille Sisters
Cherish the Ladies
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Chesapeake (New Grass) 
Chicago Brass Quintet
Chris Korblein
Christensen Sisters Blue Grass Band (Grand Meadow) 
Christopher Cross
Chubbs (Rochester) 
Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night 
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Class Act (Rochester) 
Classic Brass (Rochester)
Collective Soul 
Colgate Country Showdown
Con Brio (Rochester)
Conjunto Cespedes
Connie Evingson in "Fever"
Cool Rae & the Hot Blue Line (Rochester) 
Corduroy Money (Rochester)
Corey Stevens
Country Rat Pack: Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Richie McDonald 
Curtis Stigers (Jazz/Pop) 

D

Daddy Mack Blues Band
Dale Warland singers
Dan Dressen (Tenor)
David Mayfield Parade, The
David Owen Norris (Piano)
Dean Saner Group (Rochester)
Deborah Coleman (Blues) 
Deja Bleu (Rochester) 
Denny & the D.C. Drifters (Austin) 
Derailers (Alternative Country)
Dervish (Celtic)
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Dixie Chicks
Dixie Hummingbirds
Doc Watson
Doghouse Jon & the Misbehavers (Rochester) 
Dokken
Don McLean
Down Right Tight featuring Big John Dickerson (Blues) 
Downtread (Minneapolis)
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Dust Bowl Blues Band (Rochester)  

E

Eddie from Ohio
Eddie Money
Edmund Battersby (Piano)
Eileen Ivers (Celtic/World Beat)
Element Brothers (Rochester) 
Elizabeth Como (Soprano)
Ensemble Anonymus
Ensemble Galilei
Epic Brass
Eric Bibb
Eric Church 
Eric Johnson 

F

Feufollet
Fixx, The
Foghat
Frank Lee (Violin)
Frankie Ballard
Frankie Wilmot (Reggae)
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
Freak 420 (Rochester)
Freeway Philharmonic
Fruit (Alternative Rock)

G

G.B. Leighton
Gaelic Storm
Gaelic Tribe (Rocheter)
Galactic Cowboy Orchestra (SE Minnesota) 
Generation (Rochester)
Geno Delafose & the French Rockin' Boogie (Zydeco)
George Thorogood 
George Winston
Genticorum (Quebecoise)
Glengarry Bhoys
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Gordon Lightfoot
Grascals, The
Grassroots 
Gravities, The (Rochester)
Greg Brown
Grupo Tormento (Rochester)
Guess Who, The
Guy Mendilow Band, The
Guys Downstairs (Rochester)  

H

Hank & My Honky Tonk Heroes starring Jason Petty
Harmonious Wail
Hart Rouge
Heiruspecs
Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone
High Risk (Rochester) 
Holmes Brothers
Honeydogs
Hoopsnakes
Huun Huur Tu (Tuvan throat singing)  

I

I Musici De Montreal
Icon (Rochester)
Incognito (Rochester)
Inertia (Rochester) 
Irish Minstrels (Rochester)  

J

Jack Knife and the Sharps 
James Bohn (Bass/Baritone)
James Cotton
James Dapogney's Chicago Jazz Band
Jamey Johnson
Janis Ian/Richie Havens
Jason Michael Carroll
Jeff Carson 
Jesse Lang
Jimmie Van Zant Band 
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra
Jimmy Johnson (Blues)
Jimmy Wayne 
Joan Baez
Joe Carey (Rochester)
Joe Sealy Quartet (Jazz)
Joey Molland's Badfinger
John Jorgenson
John Lee Hooker, Jr.
John McCutcheon
John Paulson Quartet (Winona) 
Johnny Winter
Jonny Clueless 
Jonny Lang 
Josh Thompson
Josh Turner
Judd (Rochester)
Judy Collins
Jukes of Hazzard (Rochester)
Junior Brown
Justin Anderson & After Midnite (Minneapolis)  

K

Kansas
Karan Casey (Celtic) 
Kathy Mattea
Keb Mo 
Kenge Kenge (African)
Kevin Locke
Key Lime Special (Rochester)
Khac Chi (Muisc of Vietnam)
Kimmel, Rosenstein & Company
King's Singers
KnuFunk
Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine (Blues) 

L

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Lamont Cranston Blues Band
Laurentian String Quartet
Lavay Smith & her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Le Vent du Nord
Leep 27 (Minneapolis)
Lee Murdock
Leo Kottke
Les Fields and the Turkey River All-Stars (Rochester) 
Lisa Bailey & Ten Cent Biscuit
Little River Band 
Little Joe Y La Familia
Locos Por Juana
Loft (Rochester)
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet 
Los Texmaniacs
Lost Faculties (Kasson) 
Lost Highway (Rochester)
Lost Trailers, The
Loverboy
LP & the 45s (Rochester)
Lucy Kaplansky (Folk) 
Lunasa
Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson (Blues)  

M

Mamak Khadem
Mango Jam 
Marcia Ball
Maria & Luis Sing the Songs of Sesame Street
Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad
Mark Kosower (Cello)
Malinky (Scottish Celtic)
Marshall Tucker Band
Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
Martin Zellar
Richard Marx 
Maynard Ferguson
Michael Liu (Violin)
Mighty Sam McClain
Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
Minnesota Orchestra
Minos (Rochester)
Misoula Children's Theatre
Mojo & the Bayou Gypsies
Molly and the Makers 
Monroe Crossing  
Monte Montgomery
Moscow Nights

N

Nashville Bluegrass Band
Natalie MacMaster  
Nathan Pete Miller & the Electric Trane (Rochester) 
Native Window
Nephew (Rochester) 
New Vision (Rochester)
Night Ranger
Nirmala Rajasekar (Veena player)
Nordic Voices 

O

Oktober (Rochester)
Oliver "Tuku" Mtukdukzi

P

Paper Boys
Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
Parisota Hot Club
Paul McKenna Band, The
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paulson-Warner Quintet (Winona/Rochester) 
Peppino D'Agostino
Percy Strother (Blues) 
Peter Ostroushko & Dirk Freymuth 
Peter Wendinger Band (Bohemian Polka)
Peter Yarrow
Petit Blues Band
Plena Libre
Postures (Rochester) 
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Providence (Celtic) 

Q

Quintessence Woodwind Quintet
Quroum (Rochester)

R

Randy Sabien & the Fiddleheads
Rawflcopter (Rochester)
RCC Jazz Band
RCTC Jazz Band and CC Aires (Rochester) 
Rebecca Leland
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Red Priest
Relaxed Fit
Relevance (Rochester) 
Revelators (Rochester) 
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Rhythmic Ties (Lyle)
Rick Springfield
Ricky Skaggs
Riders in the Sky
Robert Bluestone
Roberta Flack
Robin & Linda Williams and their Very Fine Band
Rochester Civic Music Brass Quintet
Rochester Civic Music Community Band 
Rochester Civic Music Concert Band & Choir
Rochester Civic Music French Horn Quartet
Rochester Civic Music Summer Festival Choir
Rochester Civic Music Summer Youth Band
Rochester Civic Music Summer Youth Chorus
Rochester Civic Music Woodwind Quintet
Rochester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale
Rockin' Hollywoods
Roger McGuinn 
Room for Gray (Rochester)
Roomful of Blues 
Rose Ensemble for Early Music 
Ruthie Foster

S

Samite of Uganda
Saner World (Rochester)
Savoy Brown
Scholars of London
Screeming Yahoos 
Sena Ehrhardt Band, The
Sentimental Journey (Rochester)
Shemekia Copeland
Silo Shakers (Kasson) 
Sista Monica (Blues) 
Sisters & Company (Pine Island)
Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds 
Smithereens, The
Smokin' Coyotes (Zumbro Falls) 
Snoot Gibson Band (St. Charles) 
Solas
Son De Madera (Mexican)
Southern Cross (Rushford) 
Special Consensus
Spindrift (Rochester)
Spyro Gyra
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Starship starring Mickey Thomas
Steve Vecchi and his Orchestra 
Steven Schmidt 
Summit Jazz (Rochester)
Survivor
Susan McKeown & The Chanting House
Suzanne Vega
Sweet Moe Pea (Rochester)
Swing Street (Rochester Civic Music)  

T

Tannihill Weavers
Terrance Simien (Zydeco) 
Tim Mahoney and the Meenies
Time Machine (Rochester) 
Tingstad & Rumbel
Tish Hinojosa
Tlen-Huicani (Mexican Folk)
Tom Landa & The Paperboys (Celtic Rock) 
Tommy James & the Shondells
Totally Uncalled Four (Rochester) 
Tracy's Alibi
Troubleshooter (Rochester)
Trout Fishing in America 
Turkey River All-Stars (Rochester)

U

U.S. Coast Guard Band 
Up With People
Uriah Heep

V

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The
Vienna Choir Boys
Voices of the 90's
Vox Lumiere

W

Walt Michael & Company
Whitewater (St. Charles) 
Warrant
Winnona State University Choral Union
Woody Herman Orchestra

X

Y

Yesterday:  A Tribute to the Beatles

Contact Information

201 4th St, SE, Suite 170
Rochester, MN 55904
Tickets: (507) 328-2200, (800) 657-3980
Administration: (507) 328-2201
Fax: (507) 328-2202
E-mail: info@riversideconcerts.com

Steve Schmidt Steve Schmidt
General Manager
steve@riversideconcerts.com
Phone: (507) 328-2201

Chris Alcott Chris Alcott
Assistant General Manager
chris@riversideconcerts.com
Phone: (507) 328-2208

Deana Carr Deana Carr
Operations-Production
deana@riversideconcerts.com
Phone: (507) 328-2209

Mary Fuhrmeister Mary Fuhrmeister
Administrative Assistant
mary@riversideconcerts.com
Phone: (507) 328-2203

Charles E. Blattner Charles E. Blattner
Band & Choir Director