Rochester, MN
Home MenuContact Information
201 4th St. SE
Suite 170
Rochester, MN 55901
Phone: 507-328-2200
TTY/TDD: More Information
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Passport Sessions
Music With Roots. Sounds That Travel.
Est. 2010
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Passport Sessions in 2025!
These free concerts brought diverse sounds into the heart of Rochester - from Indigenous hip hop to Turkish orchestra music. We’ll be back in summer 2026 with more new sounds.
Lineup announcement coming spring 2026.
Passport Sessions is a summer music series that celebrates cultural connection through sound.
Each featured artist brings a distinctive musical tradition shaped by identity, heritage, and place. Styles range from hand-drummed rhythms and string traditions to vocal forms passed down across generations.
Performers share their work in two ways: through a free public concert at Thursdays Downtown, and through daytime performances for students in Rochester Public Schools’ Summer SACC (School Age Child Care) program.
This series invites audiences of all ages to listen, learn, and connect through music.
Jump to a Topic
Looking for seating info, artist lineups, or vendor details? Use the links below to jump to what you need:
Planning Your Visit
At the Event
Jake Shimabukuro
- Date: 11/05/2016 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
- Location: Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall
30 Civic Center Dr. SE
Rochester, Minnesota 55904
- Intro Text Jake Shimabukuro has redefined the musical possibilities of the ukulele, drawing comparisons to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and Miles Davis in his innovative approach to the instrument. He effortlessly mixes jazz, rock, classical, traditional Hawaiian music, and folk, creating a sound that’s technically masterful, emotionally powerful, and utterly unique in the music world. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. His career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style. He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.
- Ticket Url ?navid=1557
- Artist Website URL http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/
Standard Tickets - $32
Riverside Concerts Member Tickets (10% discount) - $29
ON SALE DATES:
Monday, August 8 (Members Only - available only through Riverside Concerts in City Hall)
Monday, August 15 (General Public)
Riverside Concerts presents JAKE SHIMABUKURO on Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 PM in the Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall.
Jake began his music career in the mid-90’s, performing at local coffee shops as a sideman with his first band, Pure Heart. But Jake’s solo career began in 2002 when he signed with Epic Records, becoming the first ukulele player to sign with Sony Music. While his well-received solo releases positioned Jake as an established musician in Hawaii and Japan, his career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style.
In the years since the YouTube clip aired, Jake has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lyle Lovett – as well as orchestras around the world. He’s sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.
He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine, which also stated: “one of the hottest axemen of the past few years doesn’t actually play guitar.” He has also won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder who states: “Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with;” been talked about by Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on national TV with appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Good Morning America,” and “The Today Show,” and along the way has earned comparisons to musical innovators such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.
Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, Jake’s performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jake’s life has always centered on the ukulele. He started playing at the age of four, urged by his mother who also played.
Passport Sessions Lineups
Going to a Passport Show:
Supporters & Partners
Passport Sessions is a City-funded program presented by Rochester Public Music. Our partners play a key role in extending its reach by helping us share performances that spark curiosity, celebrate cultural traditions, and connect communities across Rochester.
2026 sponsorship opportunities are now available. Visit our Supporters & Partners page or email publicmusic@rochestermn.gov to learn more.
2025 Funding Partners
|
Grant Support: Thomas X Event
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
|
2025 Venue Partner
|
Presented in partnership with Thursdays Downtown
|
2025 Youth Program Partner
|
Host sites for youth concerts through Summer SACC
|