The St. Olaf Band, under the direction of Henry L. Dorn, is set to embark on a tour across the Midwest and South in late January and early February, bringing a vibrant musical experience to audiences throughout the region.
A Sonic Journey Through “American Graffiti”
The acclaimed St. Olaf Band will perform seven concerts in six states, culminating in a premiere that explores the Black experience through music.
- The 2026 tour includes performances in Minnesota, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Iowa.
- The band’s program centers around the theme of “American Graffiti,” featuring diverse works for concert band.
- The tour marks the third led by conductor Henry L. Dorn since he joined St. Olaf College in the fall of 2023.
- The St. Olaf Band recently performed at the 2025 National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association.
The band’s 2026 national tour will feature seven concerts, offering students in the ensemble the chance to perform in leading high school programs, as well as beautiful churches and performing arts centers. This tour represents the third led by Dorn, who began his tenure on the music faculty at St. Olaf College in the fall of 2023.
The tour’s program, built around the theme of “American Graffiti,” will showcase a diverse selection of works for concert band by composers including Jodie Blackshaw, Norman Dello Joio, Henry L. Dorn, and Eric Whitacre. A central highlight will be the premiere of Amerykahn Graffiti by Katahj Copley, a piece the composer describes as “a reimagining of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, painted in sound and soul, it is a journey through the Black experience — our joy, our wounds, our beauty, our rage.”
This domestic tour follows the St. Olaf Band’s prestigious invitational performance at the 2025 National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), held at Texas Christian University this past March.
“It would be my hope that the audience can sense the amount of pride that our ensemble members take into the work they do on stage,” Dorn says. “The St. Olaf Band works really diligently to deliver a musical experience and take our audiences on a sonic journey.”
Tickets for the St. Olaf Band tour dates are now available online or by phone at 800-363-5487. Concerts are priced at $10 for the general public and are free for students of all ages.
“The St. Olaf Band works really diligently to deliver a musical experience and take our audiences on a sonic journey.”
— St. Olaf Band Conductor Henry L. Dorn
The St. Olaf Band’s full 2026 tour schedule:
Saturday, January 24 • 2 p.m.
Farmington High School
Farmington, Minnesota
Featuring the Farmington High School Wind Ensemble
Saturday, January 31 • 3 p.m.
Blue Valley Southwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas (Kansas City)
Featuring the Blue Valley Southwest High School Bands
Sunday, February 1 • 4 p.m.
Fayetteville High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Monday, February 2 • 7 p.m.
Conway High School
Conway, Arkansas
Featuring students from Conway High School, Parkview High School, and Little Rock Southwest High School.
Tuesday, February 3 • 7 p.m.
Plough Performance Hall, Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Thursday, February 5 • 7 p.m.
Kirkwood High School
Kirkwood, Missouri (St. Louis)
Featuring the Kirkwood High School Wind Ensemble
Friday, February 6 • 7:30 p.m.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
Iowa City, Iowa