Bows, Strings, & Contentment

09/02/2026

Cute little video, courtesy of Lisa Pondelick Olson. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19H51RHu6v/

09/02/2026

08/25/2026

FIVE GREAT EVENTS REMAIN FOR THE Bridge Chamber Music Festival.

08/19/2026

GET YOUR BOWS BOYS (AND GIRLS TOO!)
Bows, Strings, & Contentment (BSC) is recruiting for our Fall Concert. If interested, please reply via the contact information listed below at your earliest convenience, but no later than August 31st.

CONCERT SEASON:
Our Fall Concert session starts on September 8th and ends on November 8th. Our concert theme is "Americana" which will include many genres including classical, broadway, jazz, folk and more. Our concert will be on Sunday, November 8th, 6pm The Grand - Northfield, MN.

REHEARSALS:
Weekly rehearsals will be Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 First UCC of Northfield, MN. We understand absences will occur (family, health, work, trips, etc); we simply ask for advance notice when possible. If it helps, there is a play space for children where we rehearse.

A LITTLE ABOUT US:
BSC is a community orchestra founded in 2023. Our group's name reflects that we are an "all strings orchestra" and is also a play on Northfield's town motto "Cows, Colleges. and Contentment". Our mission is to be a fun and challenging ensemble that welcomes beginner to advanced adult string players. For beginners, this is a new experience for group playing. For more advanced, this is an accessible orchestra experience. We make this possible because of our in-house music arranger, rehearsal guidance, and the encouragement of sectionals. In the end, all the skill levels combined together make wonderful music!

CONTRIBUTIONS:
Contributions help cover the costs for: copyrights, printing, venue space and rental space. Please consider contributing $20 (twenty is plenty, ten is zen, but a few will do).

GOVERNANCE:
Feel free to contact via FB messenger any of our council members: Laura Reichardt Geissler (conductor), Laurie Melting Stegner (arranger), Lisa Pondelick Olson (concert master), Beth Billings Hagemeister (principal), or Peter Stegner (manager).

IN CLOSING:
We are a fun group of people, we work hard together and put on amazing concerts. Check out our FB page to see our concert videos.

Kind regards,

Peter Stegner
612-655-3202
[email protected]

08/15/2026

Bows, Strings, & Contentment is proud to promote The Bridge Chamber Music Festival which starts in Friday August 21 in Northfield! Here is the August concert lineup:

21- Music from Stringwood (free admission)
22- Sarah Reich Live! ($5 admission)
26- Laurie Melting Stegner and the Bows, Strings, and Contentment Quartet (free admission)
27- Young Artist Recital with Pianist Alex Woods (free admission)
27- If I Loved You, voice and piano, with Marita Stryker (voice), Wesley Dunnagan (voice), and Martha Fischer (piano) ($5 admission)
28- Sacred Echos: Songs of Healing and Hope, Artaria String Quartet with Aileen Razey (clarinet) ($5 admission)
Tickets $5 (cash or check only) at the door. College students, 17 years of age or younger are free.

08/05/2026

RECRUITING FOR OUR FALL CONCERT

Hello String Musicians,

We invite you to join the Bows, Strings, & Contentment orchestra for our Fall Concert, please read on.

CONCERT SEASON:
Our Fall Concert session starts on September 8th and ends on November 8th. Our concert theme is "Americana" which will include many genres including classical, broadway, jazz, folk and more. Our concert will be on Sunday, November 8th, 6pm The Grand - Northfield, MN.

REHEARSALS:
Weekly rehearsals will be Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 First UCC of Northfield, MN (aka UCC) on 300 Union St in downtown Northfield. We will rehearse from September 8th to November 3rd. We understand absences will occur (family, health, work, trips, etc); we simply ask for advance notice when possible. If it helps, there is a play space for children where we rehearse.

A LITTLE ABOUT US:
Bows, Strings, & Contentment (BSC) is a community orchestra founded in 2023. Our group's name reflects that we are an "all strings orchestra" and is also a play on Northfield's town motto "Cows, Colleges. and Contentment". Our mission is to be a fun and challenging ensemble that welcomes beginner to advanced adult string players. For beginners, this is a new experience for group playing. For more advanced, this is an accessible orchestra experience. We make this possible because of our in-house music arranger, rehearsal guidance, and the encouragement of sectionals. In the end, all the skill levels combined together make wonderful music!

CONTRIBUTIONS:
Contributions help cover the costs for: copyrights, printing, venue space and rental space. Please consider contributing $20 (twenty is plenty, ten is zen, but a few will do).

GOVERNANCE:
Feel free to contact any of our council members: Laura Reichardt Geissler (conductor), Laurie Melting Stegner (arranger), Lisa Pondelick Olson (concert master), Beth Billings Hagemeister (principal), or Peter Stegner (manager).

IN CLOSING:
We are a fun group of people, we work hard together and put on amazing concerts. If interested in joining, please reply via the contact information listed below at your earliest convenience, but no later than August 31st. Violinists, let me know the section(s) that interest you.

Kind regards,

Peter Stegner
612-655-3202
[email protected]

07/24/2026

TONIGHT ... BSC is proud to announce the debut concert of the Northfield Chamber Ensemble! Featuring an outstanding group of local musicians performing music composed by Asuka Kakitani and inspired by our hometown of Northfield.

Free admission | Open to the public
Friday, July 24, 2026
Doors: 6:30 PM | Concert: 7:00 PM
First UCC of Northfield, MN
Personnel
• Gwen Anderson — horn
• Scott Anderson — clarinet
• Elaine Boda — cello
• Dave Hagedorn — percussion
• Laurie Melting Stegner — violin
• JC Sanford — trombone
• Asuka Kakitani — compositions & piano

07/17/2026

BSC is proud to announce the Northfield Chamber Ensemble concert next Friday. Don't miss this amazing cast of musicians featurnig our orchestra music arranger Laurie Melting Stegner. Friday, July 24th. Doors: 6:30 pm | Start: 7:00 pm. First United Church of Christ in Northfield.

07/09/2026

Bows, Strings & Contentment is proud to promote the amazing lineup of music events this summer in Northfield. This Friday is the start of the Northfield Jazz Festival featuring Strawberry JAZZ Collective and Bend In The River Big Band at The Grand - Northfield, MN.

07/06/2026

Friday, July 24th. Doors: 6:30 pm | Start: 7:00 pm. First United Church of Christ in Northfield.