Minnesota State Mankato Performing Arts Department Announces Fall 2026 Performance Series Season
Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of Performing Arts News Release
Mankato, Minn. – The Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of Performing Arts announced its fall 2026 Performance Series schedule of visiting artist concert events. In addition to the professional artist series, the Department of Performing Arts will offer a number of student ensemble concerts over the course of the fall semester.
Fall semester Performance Series concert and artist highlights include:
Tuesday, Sept. 22: THREE WOMEN, THREE VOICES
Three distinctive singer-songwriters come together for an evening of heartfelt music, rich harmonies, and genuine connection. Andrea Lyn, Stacy K., and Crista Bohlman each bring their own voice, style, and stories to the stage—creating a warm, intimate performance filled with songs that are personal, powerful, and beautifully authentic.
Thursday, Oct. 8: JOHN “PAPA” GROS
Enjoy a joyful blast of New Orleans piano, funk, blues, and soul. John “Papa” Gros brings the Crescent City to life with rolling piano, deep grooves, soulful vocals, and irresistible rhythms—music steeped in Mardi Gras spirit, neighborhood clubs, and the unmistakable sound of New Orleans. It’s spirited, soulful, and guaranteed to make sitting still difficult.
Thursday, Oct. 29: HARMONY. HEART. HISTORY. — A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt
The musical chemistry between Mary Jane Alm and Aimée Lee is immediate and unmistakable—the kind that makes two distinctive voices feel as though they were meant to sing together. Their deep affection for this remarkable music comes through in every song, as their warmth, interplay, and soaring harmonies bring fresh life to the timeless music of Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. Backed by an exceptional ensemble of Minneapolis musicians, Mary Jane and Aimée capture the beauty, emotion, and musical richness that have made these songs endure for generations.
Sunday, Nov. 1: SOOJUNG HONG
Pianist Soojung Hong brings breathtaking color, clarity, and emotion to every note. Her playing can whisper with delicate intimacy one moment and surge with dramatic power the next, revealing the piano’s extraordinary range of color and expression. With brilliant technique, lyrical phrasing, and a storyteller’s sense of drama, Hong transforms the concert hall into a deeply personal musical experience.
Thursday, Nov. 12: PK MAYO
PK Mayo takes the stage with a raw, soulful sound rooted deep in the blues and charged with rock & roll energy. His searing slide guitar can growl, cry, and soar, while his weathered vocals and deep-pocket grooves give every song grit and character. Drawing comparisons to Duane Allman, Lowell George, and Ry Cooder, Mayo turns blues, roots, and Americana into a powerful, spontaneous performance—equal parts fire, finesse, and soul.
Wednesday, Dec. 2: PIETA BROWN, JEFFREY FOUCAULT, ERIK KOSKINEN
Three acclaimed songwriters. Three guitars. One intimate stage. Experience an evening that feels less like a concert and more like being invited into a remarkable gathering of songwriters. Inspired by the Nashville guitar pull tradition, Pieta Brown, Jeffrey Foucault, and Erik Koskinen sit together, trading songs, stories, harmonies, and guitar lines in a relaxed, spontaneous round. With no barrier between performer and audience, the room becomes part of the conversation—you hear the stories behind the songs, watch the artists react to one another, and experience unexpected musical moments as they happen. Intimate, unscripted, and wonderfully unpredictable. It’s the kind of evening that feels less like a concert and more like being invited into a remarkable gathering of songwriters.
Online ticketing is available at mnsueventtickets.universitytickets.com/ or call the Performance Series office, 507-389-5549.
