The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, now in its second century, ranks among America’s top symphonic ensembles, with a distinguished history of acclaimed performances in its home state and around the world; award-winning recordings, broadcasts and educational engagement programs; and a commitment to intentionally build concert programs to feature more works by composers of color, exploring music both contemporary and historic. In September 2024, Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård began his second season as music director.

Sarah Hicks is the Minnesota Orchestra’s principal conductor of Live at Orchestra Hall, a role in which she oversees planning for and conducts many concerts in the broad-spectrum series of popular music, jazz, Broadway classics, movie scores and other genres. She also conducted the Inside the Classics and Sam & Sarah series for ten seasons.

Dr. Gerald Gurss, native Kansan, received his bachelor’s degree in voice at Emporia State University (KS) and his master’s degree in voice from Miami University (OH). Gerald received his DMA in choral conducting from the University of South Carolina, where his research focus was the inclusion and pedagogy of transgender singers in the choral rehearsal. During his studies at USC, he was the founder of the Midlands Men’s Chorus: The Gay Men’s Chorus of Columbia, SC. Before leaving the Carolinas, Gerald served as the artistic director for One Voice Chorus (Charlotte’s LGBT chorus). Since 2018 he has served as the artistic director for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus as well as the choir director for White Bear Lake United Methodist Church. 

The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus (TCGMC) is a professionally led, volunteer-driven chorus committed to Building Community Through Music. With powerful performances and impactful collaborations, we amplify the voices and visibility of Minnesota's LGBTQ+ community. TCGMC, grounded in Community, Advocacy, and Artistry values, is a cornerstone of Minnesota's LGBTQ+ cultural landscape.