ABOUT US

Our Story

The Northern Lights Music Festival is a three week classical music performance program and music school which is held each summer on the Minnesota Iron Range.

Founded as a summer music camp 23 years ago by concert pianist and Aurora native Veda Zuponcic, Northern Lights has evolved into a performance program and festival. Today it brings together award-winning students and internationally known performers and teachers in a unique program that includes daily lessons, chamber music coachings, masterclasses and numerous performance opportunities throughout Northern Minnesota.

With the addition 12  years ago of the Northern Lights Festival Opera, the festival now includes fully staged professional operas featuring international opera stars and a roster of rising young performers.

Symphony Orchestra on stage

Our Mission

Northern Lights Music Festival, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is based in Aurora and Chisholm on Minnesota’s Iron Range. It has five organizational missions:
1. To present high quality musical events, student and professional, to the entire Iron Range from Grand Rapids to Ely, utilizing its beautiful and historic auditoriums and other historic spaces;
2. To patronize local businesses in the Iron Range small towns;
3. To create an environment for serious study of solo and chamber music for pre-college and collegiate students;
4. To provide employment to regional and Minnesota professional free-lance musicians.
5. To provide musical and historical programming at B’nai Abraham Cultural Center.