Tuesday September 16, 2025
THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA WELCOMES THREE NEW FULL-TIME MUSICIANS AT START OF 2025-26 SEASON
Angela Ryu and Herdís Guðmundsdóttir join the violin section, and James Vaughen begins position as principal trumpet
The Minnesota Orchestra introduces three new full-time musicians to its ranks this fall. Canadian-born Angela Ryu will join the first violin section and Herdís Guðmundsdóttir, originally from Iceland, will join the second violins, while Illinois-born trumpeter James Vaughen—whose appointment was announced last April—will take up his role as principal trumpet, filling the post held by Manny Laureano from 1981 until his retirement this summer.
Each of the new players will perform in the Orchestra’s Season Opening concerts featuring Richard Strauss’ Suite from Der Rosenkavalier this week on September 18-19 at Orchestra Hall, led by Music Director Thomas Søndergård.
Angela Ryu began her musical studies in New Denver, British Columbia, and spent her formative years in Calgary, Alberta, at the Mount Royal Conservatory. She received undergraduate and advanced degrees from Rice University, Shepherd School of Music, studying with Paul Kantor and serving in concertmaster and principal positions in the Shepherd School Symphony. After winning the school’s Concerto Competition in 2023, she soloed in the Sibelius Violin Concerto with its symphony under conductor Hans Graf. Named one of the Canadian Broadcast Corporation’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30,” Ryu is a first-prize winner of the Canadian Music Competition, the Canadian National Music Festival and the Shean Strings Competition. She has also received fellowships from the Aspen Music Festival, Toronto Summer Music and Verbier Festival.
“I am incredibly excited and honored to be joining the Minnesota Orchestra this fall,” says Ryu. “I’ve only heard wonderful things about the Orchestra, and it feels surreal that I get to be a part of it. I’m really looking forward to meeting and playing with my colleagues and exploring all the beautiful nature Minnesota has to offer!
Hear her perform William Bolcom’s Graceful Ghost Rag.
Born and raised in Reykjavík, Iceland, Herdís Guðmundsdóttir has previously been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and a frequent substitute with the Chicago and Iceland symphonies. During the 2023 and 2024 summer seasons, she was a member of the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, with whom she performed as soloist in Missy Mazzoli’s Violin Concerto Dark with Excessive Bright in its North American premiere. An active chamber musician, Guðmundsdóttir regularly performs in Reykjavík, where she has given several recitals with her husband and collaborator, pianist Liam Kaplan. Guðmundsdóttir earned a diploma from the Icelandic Academy of the Arts in 2017 before moving to the U.S. to pursue undergraduate studies at the Oberlin Conservatory and graduate work at the Yale School of Music, where she earned a master’s in the studio of Augustin Hadelich.
“I feel so lucky that I get to play with Minnesota Orchestra for my first full-time professional orchestra and that I get to learn so much good music,” says Guðmundsdóttir. “I am already in love with this city, I got a used bike on my third day here so I could explore all the lakes. I am very excited to be working with Thomas Søndergård. I first met him on a tour of Denmark with my Nordic Youth Orchestra, Orkester Norden, when I was 15 years old and have been a huge fan of his conducting ever since. We performed Shostakovich’s 10th symphony, so I am very excited to explore more Shostakovich with Søndergård when the Minnesota Orchestra performs the 15th symphony this season. Also, I can’t wait to play with superstar Yo-Yo Ma this coming spring in the Elgar Cello Concerto, the best cello concerto ever written!”
Hear her, alongside Liam Kaplan, in Amy Beach’s Romance for Violin and Piano, Opus 23.
James Vaughen most recently served as the Detroit Symphony’s assistant principal trumpet. He has also performed throughout Europe with the London Symphony, spent four months on tour with Canadian Brass and won the top prize at the 2023 Aeolus International Competition. Prior to that, he served as assistant principal trumpet of Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival and held a one-year post as principal trumpet with the Indianapolis Symphony. A native of Champaign, Illinois, Vaughen spent a year after high school serving as an AmeriCorps intern in Mississippi before attending the Curtis Institute of Music, from which he graduated in 2023. An accomplished recital performer, he took first prize in all three divisions of the 2021 International Trumpet Guild Ryan Anthony Memorial Competition and was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2022 Maurice Andre International Trumpet Competition.
“Hearing the Orchestra live during my final audition round I immediately felt at home with the warmth of the brass sound and inspired by the musical intensity and energy throughout the entire Orchestra,” said Vaughen last spring when he won the principal trumpet audition. “I was met with such kindness from everyone in the Orchestra that I could not help thinking that ‘Minnesota nice’ must be true. I hope that I can contribute to this culture of kindness and musical excellence and cannot wait for the 2025-26 season.” Vaughen’s non-musical interests include cooking, running, playing soccer and tennis.
Hear him play J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, transcribed for trumpet.
Minnesota Orchestra
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra is known for acclaimed performances in its home state and around the world; award-winning educational programs; and a commitment to building the orchestral repertoire of tomorrow, all based on the belief that music is for everyone. Each year, Minnesota Orchestra concerts and recordings are seen and heard by more than two million people via television, radio, digital streaming and on-demand platforms. The upcoming season marks Music Director Thomas Søndergård’s third with the Orchestra and features collaborations with some of America’s great mezzos, the return of the acclaimed Nordic Soundscapes festival and opera-in-concert performances of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle.
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