David Bresch asks:

>... Can people make gratuitous suggestions about how I should
>be a cultured person in Saint Paul?

Before I left the US and returned to the (very rainy!) UK, I used to spend
a lot of time in the Twin Cities.  I discovered not only the Minnesota
Orchestra deserved its big-boned reputation, but also the St. Paul Chamber
Orchestra has a very active programme throughout the season.  I dare say
they both have Webistes you could access through a search engine.

With a broadly Scandinavian heritage, Minneapolis and St. Paul maintain
strong connections with the Nordic countries on a cultural level --
Einojuahanni Rautavarra, for example, recently spent some time in residence
during a festival of his music (I believe that was at the University, but
I'm not certain).

Minnesota is also the home state of Dominick Argento, whose music should
be played far more widely than it is.  The local paper rann a series of
articles on him about three or four years ago -- the name of the paper
escapes me, but from memory the publishers are called Pioneer Press and
have a Website.

Good luck and have fun -- the Tiwn Cities take some mental adjustment but
are culturally and physically rewarding when you achieve it.

Tim Mahon
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