It's a big weekend for the Twin Cities arts scene, with a new maestro taking the podium at the Minnesota Orchestra.
53-year old Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård is only the 11th music director in the orchestra's 120 year history and succeeds Osmo Vanska, who held the position from 2003 to 2022. A former timpani player, Søndergård made the switch to conducting...leading orchestras all over Europe and North America, and continuing to serve as music director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in addition to his role here. Søndergård was named to the position last summer after guest conducting here, where he says he felt an energy with the musicians that's hard to put into words.
"When you start to move your body and you look at these musicians and there's a connection that's exceptional....and I can only say it in that way because it sometimes doesn't happen. Or it hardly happens. But most of the time, there is something brilliant to build on. I mean, there are other ensembles. Then there are these outstanding moments as it happens here, where it's on a completely different level. So it feels amazing," says Søndergård.
Søndergård opens the Minnesota Orchestra's 2023 season this weekend with concerts featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. Next weekend's shows include his first collaboration with the Minnesota Chorale as well as a free, public open house and backstage tours of Orchestra Hall. In the meantime, he plans to explore the Twin Cities with the husband, Swedish opera singer Andreas Landin, and meet with the local Danish and Swedish consuls to learn more about Minnesota's ties to their homelands. Søndergård says he's excited to be here, and has high praise not only for the musicians, but for the entire organization.
"The starting point here was just so brilliant. So I could just see where it could take us, really. So, yes, I felt I would like to have a job where I could develop this ensemble."
Tickets and subscription packages for Søndergård's first season are on sale now at the Minnesota Orchestra Box Office or online at www.minnesotaorchestra.org.