Biography

A performer with international experience, Bethel has appeared in concert in Germany—including at Frankfurt’s renowned Alte Oper—and in Russia as soloist with the Voronezh Philharmonic. In the United States, she has performed in numerous venues and has been featured in live broadcasts on American Public Media’s Performance Today as pianist of the ProMusica Minnesota Chamber Music Series & Festival (PMM), which she founded and continues to direct as Artistic Director.

Recipient of the prestigious Louis B. Sudler Award in the Arts, pianist and arts leader Bethel Balge brings a powerful blend of artistic excellence, visionary leadership, and community commitment to her role as Executive Director of Mankato Symphony Orchestra (MSO). Since stepping into the role in 2020, she has led the MSO through a period of artistic growth and innovation, expanding access to symphonic music across Southern Minnesota and deepening the orchestra’s connection with its community.

Bethel earned her Diplom-Musikerin from the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst), a Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin, and a Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University. In 2014, she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Minnesota, studying under Lydia Artymiw.

In recognition of her leadership in the field, Bethel was selected in 2022 as one of only 35 orchestra leaders from the U.S. and Canada to attend the League of American Orchestras’ Essentials in Orchestra Management, held at the Juilliard School of Music.

Whether on stage or behind the scenes, Bethel Balge is dedicated to the belief that music has the power to build bridges, inspire change, and elevate communities. Her commitment to artistic integrity and accessibility continues to shape the future of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra.