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The Albert Lea Civic Music Association announced this week it is canceling its 2020-21 season because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This was the organization’s 75th anniversary.

Board member Sue Jorgensen said with so many unknowns this year, the organization will postpone its anniversary celebration to the following year. 

“The board was very sad and disappointed to make this decision, but we felt that this was the best decision for our audience and our patrons,” Jorgensen said. “We didn’t see any other way of handling this.”

Civic Music brings in musicians from all over the world to Albert Lea for concerts, not only for Albert Lea residents but also for people from surrounding communities. 

The association was started by a group of local residents who had an appreciation for classical music. Concerts were initially held in the former Albert Lea High School auditorium off of Clark Street, selling out all of the 1,800 seats. When the old school was demolished and the new school built, concerts were moved to the new school’s auditorium, which has about 750 seats.

Jorgensen said right now, there are unknowns about using the high school auditorium and also about whether the artists will even be traveling. 

Though the musicians had been selected for the 2020-21 season, the season ticket sales had not yet started yet for the season. 

She said season ticket holders from the 2019-20 season should hang on to their tickets to get into two concerts that had to be rescheduled from April and May. 

At this point, the Sons of the Pioneers concert, which had been slated for April 2, has been rescheduled for May 19, 2021, and Ball in the House, which had been slated for May 8, has been rescheduled for March 28, 2021. 

“We’re hoping the two concerts can happen, and people can come and enjoy them,” she said.