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. This past fall, Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård began his tenure as music director.

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT) produces original plays, hosts puppet shows and workshops and leads residencies throughout the Midwest. For many years it produced the MayDay parade. HOBT has often collaborated with the Minnesota Orchestra for Young People’s Concerts and Hansel and Gretel productions. At the 2022 Summer at Orchestra Hall festival, it collaborated with the Orchestra in choreographed performances of Smetana’s The Moldau. Its puppets were also featured at 2011 performances of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

A prizewinner of the prestigious Malko Conducting Competition, Tong Chen has become one of her generation’s most promising and exciting young conductors. In the 2023-24 season, she will make her conducting debut with the Minnesota Orchestra. Recent season highlights include concerts with the New York Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony, St. Louis Symphony and Rochester Philharmonic. 

Violinist Esme Arias-Kim is currently studying at the Colburn Music Academy as a Kohl Scholar with Robert Lipsett. She previously studied with Almita Vamos and Betty Haag-Kuhnke. Most recently she received  Silver Medal at the 2023 Stulberg International String Competition and Gold Medal at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s 29th Annual Young Artist Competition and will solo with the Vancouver Symphony this winter.

Eighteen-year-old oboist Izaiah Cheeran is a passionate performer who focuses on elevating the music of composers from historically marginalized peoples. He is currently a pupil of Katherine Needleman and Philippe Tondre at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, which he entered in 2022.

Luca La Hoz Calassara (he/him/él) is a junior attending Anoka High School. He has acted in numerous theatrical productions at his school and around the metro area, and his performance experience includes shows with the Children’s Theatre Company, Stages Theatre Company, Capri Theater, Guthrie Theater, and the Minnesota Opera. He also performs in the children’s band KidPower with Rachael, and has recorded several educational videos with the National Theatre for Children.

Luke Steven Soneral is a ninth-grade student at Minnetonka High School and a music composition major at the Juilliard School Pre-College in New York City. He studies composition with Dr. Eric Ewazen (Juilliard) and formerly with Drs. Andrew Martin Smith and Amanda Harberg (Interlochen Center for the Arts).