St. Paul Chamber Orchestra adds a new artistic partner

Baroque music specialist Jonathan Cohen will join the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra as its newest artistic partner next season.

The British musician, who is known as a cellist, keyboardist and conductor, is in Minnesota for the next two weeks to play a series of SPCO concerts. He said he is delighted to join the other artistic partners, each of whom brings specific strengths to the SPCO program.

"It makes for a sort of regular and committed group of leaders, but it leaves open the door for diversity, flexibility, different repertoires," he said.

"I have this theory that most, if not all, Baroque and classical music is kind of at its heart chamber music in the way that we do it," he said. "And I felt that was something that the orchestra also shared. ... Everyone is really invested in the score, and I think you hear that."

Cohen specializes in the music of the 17th and 18th centuries, but is also known for performing in nontraditional venues for classical music. He is scheduled to play a concert at the Icehouse in Minneapolis March 16.