ABOVE: Musicians play under the direction of Katie Hoaglund during Summer Symphony Orchestra rehearsal on Monday evening at the Fairmont Elementary School. The performance will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT — ‘Pluck’ a spot and listen to the sounds performed by a diverse, experienced orchestra ensemble this week. The Summer Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont.

The Summer Symphony Orchestra began in 2019 and is marking its sixth season of performing. In 2019, the Schmeeckle Foundation offered a grant towards new instruments for Fairmont Area Schools students and the community. After pondering the use of the new instruments, Hoaglund brought the Summer Symphony to Martin County.

“We took off from there, and I’m really glad we started,” Director Katie Hoaglund said.

Hoaglund reported that since the start in June, rehearsals have been very successful. The orchestra consists of approximately 35 local musicians from ages seventh grade to adult. Each section quantity varies on the instrument, said Hoaglund.

“Thirty-five musicians. That’s a great number. [The orchestra] loves to see people. If people are scared to try it, [the orchestra is] very forgiving, welcoming and accepting,” Hoaglund noted.

Since the orchestra’s first year, Hoaglund has seen the number of musicians climb considerably year after year, welcoming students who have returned to the area for the summer, Fairmont Area Schools alumni, siblings, parents, children and all other demographics.

“It’s always a ton of fun,” said Hoaglund. “It’s a great group of people. There are lots of different ages and experiences. There’s a lot of positive energy.”

On behalf of the orchestra, Hoaglund explained that the Summer Symphony is eagerly anticipating the performance on Thursday. The orchestra will perform a repertoire of classical pieces, jazz, movie scores and more. Pieces are selected based on requests, according to Hoaglund. After gathering requests, the group sight-reads together, determining their final selections for the concert.

“The performance will be very fun. There are all kinds of different sounds,” Hoaglund said.

As director, Hoaglund hopes that she can help the orchestra thrive, exhibit the musicians’ talents to the community, offer a memorable experience for the present and incoming musicians and allow the orchestra members to express themselves through its songs.

“We try to feature different strengths, try and give everyone an experience, build community through music and offer an experience with different pieces and solos,” Hoaglund described.

The Summer Symphony will accept musicians for the next summer. Musicians are asked to have two to three years of experience under their belt. However, Hoaglund stated she can discover opportunities for beginning musicians to contribute. The community can support the Summer Symphony Orchestra and its musicians by attending the concert on Thursday, July 17. To get involved, contact Hoaglund at hoaglund.katie@apps.fairmont.k12.mn.us and register on the Community Education and Recreation (CER) webstore when the 2026 summer brochure is launched.