Minnesota Orchestra

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Minnesota Orchestra
Background information
Origin	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Genres	Classical
Occupations	Symphony Orchestra
Years active	1903-present
Associated acts	Minnesota Chorale
Website	http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/
Members
Music Director Osmo Vänskä Sommerfest Artistic Director Andrew Litton Composer Laureate Dominick Argento Conductor Laureate Stanisław Skrowaczewski Pops Conductor Laureate Doc Severinsen Principal Conductor of Pops and Presentations Sarah Hicks
Former members
Music Directors Eugene Ormandy (1931–36) Antal Doráti (1949–60) Neville Marriner (1979–86) Dimitri Mitropoulos (1937–49)

The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra in 1903 as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, which gave its first performance on November 5 of that year.^[1] The name was changed in 1968, and in 1974, the organization moved from its regular performance venue of Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus to Orchestra Hall in the city's downtown district.^[1]

Since the 2003-2004 season the orchestra's music director has been Osmo Vänskä.^[1]

Staff

Music Directors

Oberhoffer was the Minnesota Orchestra's principal conductor until 1922.^[1] He has been followed by Henri Verbrugghen (1923–31); Eugene Ormandy (1931–36); Dimitri Mitropoulos (1937–49); Antal Doráti (1949-60); Stanisław Skrowaczewski (1960–79); Neville Marriner (1979–86); Edo de Waart (1986–95); and Eiji Oue (1995–2002).^[1] In 2002, Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä was appointed the ensemble's 10th music director and assumed the post in September 2003. In 2005, Vänskä extended his tenure with the Minnesota Orchestra through 2011.^[1] In September 2009, the orchestra announced the further extension of Vänskä's contract through the 2014-2015 season.^[2].

Musicians

The concertmaster position is currently open, following the departure of Jorja Fleezanis, who left the orchestra in June 2009 to join the faculty of Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. A new concertmaster is expected to be named at some point in the 2009-10 season. Section Leaders include Manny Laureano (Trumpet), Doug Wright (Trombone), Adam Kuenzel (Flute), Gina DiBello (Second Violin), Thomas Turner (Viola), Anthony Ross (Cello), Basil Reeve (Oboe), Burt Hara (Clarinet), John Miller, Jr. (Bassoon), Michael Gast (Horn), Steven Campbell (Tuba), and Brian Mount (Percussion).^[3]

The principal bass position is currently vacant following the departure of longtime principal Peter Lloyd. Assistant principal bass William Schrickel is serving as acting principal in the 2009-10 season.

Recordings

The orchestra first began recording in 1924, and produced some landmark records including the first electrical recording of Mahler's Second Symphony with Eugene Ormandy. In the 1940s, the Minnesota Orchestra was contracted to Columbia and made a series of fine records with Ormandy's successor, Dimitri Mitropoulos. In 1954, the group made the first complete recordings of Tchaikovsky's three ballets: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker under the baton of Antal Doráti. That same year, they also made the first recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture to include actual cannon fire, again under the direction of Antal Doráti. These recordings were made for Mercury Records as part of the Living Presence series. In the 1970s, the orchestra made a series of distinguished recordings for the Vox Records label under the direction of Stanisław Skrowaczewski. In the 1990s, the orchestra recorded for the Reference Recordings label under the direction of their then music director, Eiji Oue. During his tenure, Vänskä has conducted a cycle of the Beethoven symphonies for the Swedish BIS label.^[4] Their recording of the Ninth Symphony, with the Minnesota Chorale, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007.

Summer Festival

Begun in 1980 with Leonard Slatkin at the helm, the orchestra's summer festival has been known by several names, beginning with Viennese Sommerfest, changing to MusicFest in 2001, and eventually reverting to Sommerfest in 2003. Sommerfest concerts are held over a four-week period in midsummer at Orchestra Hall. The orchestra also offers free live music on the plaza before and after each show, with genres varying from folk to jazz to polka band. Slatkin was Music Director of Sommerfest from 1980 to 1989. Since 2003, Andrew Litton has been Music Director of Sommerfest, and in June 2008, his contract in this post was extended to 2011.^[5]

References

External links

• Minnesota Orchestra Web Site
• Regional and National Radio Broadcasts by Minnesota Public Radio
• Minnesota Orchestra Archives home page