Twin Cities Opera Guild has excelled at introducing students to opera and quality music since 1952. We are dedicated to cultivating music education and outreach, both in the schools and for the general public. As an all-volunteer non-profit organization, we rely on our members and friends to help us fund our grants for music education.
TCOG is Hiring for the First Time
After 74 years of solely volunteer, unpaid support, TCOG seeks a paid, part-time employee program administrator to assist in administering TCOG's activities, working primarily remotely and on site at meetings and events. TCOG anticipates that the program administrator will work a variable schedule of approximately 10 hours per week. The full position description is here. If you have questions about the position, please contact Colleen Nelson at president@twincitiesoperaguild.org or (651) 249-4083. If you are interested in the position, please send your resume to Colleen Nelson at the same email address.
From TCOG’s President, Colleen Nelson
On TCOG's behalf, I sincerely thank everyone who attended our May 19 "Spring Benefit, A Musical Bouquet," donated, and bought items during our silent auction. You made it a worthwhile success that allows us to continue to support opera and music appreciation and education across Minnesota and in neighboring states. We had a great turnout, lovely food, and terrific performers. Thanks to all for a wonderful day.
With summer in full swing, we at TCOG encourage you to head out to experience all that TCOG and the Minnesota performance industry, including our grant recipients, have to offer. As for TCOG, please join us for our "Party in Pink" on July 14 at 11:00 a.m. at the North Oaks Golf Club (you can register under the Events tab) and our 3rd "Cocktail Collaboration" on September 11 at the Luminary Arts Center with the MN Opera Resident Artists. They are fun events with good food, performance, and community that are intended to encourage new members to join TCOG in supporting music appreciation and education for students of all ages. Try one. You might have fun. Set your calendar also for our signature "Candlelight Dinner" fall fundraiser on October 17 at the Town & Country Club. We look forward to it all year, every busy year and would love to see you there.
As well, we encourage you to check out the websites of our many nonprofit grant recipients for their public events this summer. A brief listing of examples includes Cantus' "Genius Child" coming up July 14-17; St. Croix Valley Opera's "Opera on the River" on July 25; Lakes Area Music Festival's August season in Brainerd with a series of fabulous events; Mixed Precipitation's summer schedule of nearly 20 performances all around Minnesota; and so many other grant recipient events that are happening this summer. They would love to see you in audience, I'm sure. The grant recipients are listed in our Winter 2025-2026 newsletter which is available here and you can link to many of their websites in our "Other Sites of Interest" link.
Whatever you do this summer, I hope you have fun and try a new event. You might make a new friend along way. Cheers to all.
Colleen Nelson, President
A national pioneer in opera education for children
How we make it happen
Our grants fund:
- Delightful musical productions in-school, staged and performed by students -- in both the cast and orchestra
- Interactive in-school student programs conducted by professional singers and musicians
- After-school music programs for children, including student choirs
- Special student matinees at operas produced by the Minnesota Opera
- Summer music programs for children
Coming events
PARTY IN PINK |
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COCKTAIL COLLABORATION |
Mark your calendar | ||
CANDLELIGHT DINNER |
Mark your calendar |
Impact
(over the past 5 years)
In the past five years our organization:
- Served a total of 96,890 children
- Served children from ages three through college
- Granted funds to an average of 25 organizations and schools each year
- Gave grants totaling $384,970
Grants that enrich our youth
School children are the principal beneficiaries of our funds. During the last past five years, we have funded programs bringing music education to more than 96,890 children, both in the seven-county metropolitan area and throughout the state of Minnesota, western Wisconsin and eastern North Dakota.
Twice each year (Fall and Winter), we review applications for new education grants.