The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, led by Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård—who is serving as music director designate during the 2022-23 season—is recognized for distinguished performances around the world, award-winning recordings and broadcasts, educational engagement programs, and commitment to building the orchestral repertoire of the future. Founded in 1903, the Orchestra has an extensive history of touring throughout Minnesota, nationally and abroad, including high-profile visits in recent years to Cuba, Europe and South Africa. Recording projects undertaken in the past two decades include complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven, Sibelius and Mahler, all recorded under Osmo Vänskä, who is now the Orchestra’s conductor laureate.

British conductor Nicholas Collon is Founder and Principal Conductor of Aurora Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony (the first non-Finnish conductor ever to hold this post), and Principal Guest Conductor of the Guerzenich Orchester in Cologne.

He is recognized as a born communicator, innovative programmer, and high-caliber interpreter of a wide repertoire. Under his direction Aurora Orchestra has become known for their eclectic programming and for performing complete symphonies from memory, becoming Associate Orchestra (and from the 2022-23 season Resident Orchestra) at the Southbank Centre and appearing every year at the BBC Proms.

Known for his passionate artistry and engaging stage presence, pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed regularly at the Berlin Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, London’s South Bank, the Sydney Opera House and the Beijing Concert Hall. In 2019 he was appointed the Minnesota Orchestra’s first-ever creative partner for Summer at Orchestra Hall, a new role in which he is serving as a creative force behind the Orchestra’s summer festival and appearing each summer as a host, performer and personality.