Minnesota Orchestra's Artistic Leader Conducts First Family Concert: Local Musicians Share Early Memories

On Sunday, January 7, Thomas Søndergård will conduct his first family concert as the Minnesota Orchestra's artistic leader. This is a significant step for a music director in their first season. Søndergård aims to cater to all age groups. He will be reminded of the moment each musician discovered their love for music, a feeling he also experienced.

Violinist Hanna Landrum, from Frontenac, Minnesota, remembers her first musical experience at Orchestra Hall. She attended a concert featuring young violinist Hilary Hahn when she was 6 or 7. Landrum, who had just begun violin lessons, was inspired by Hahn's performance. After the concert, she got Hahn's autograph on her Minnesota Orchestra program. Hahn's advice to keep practicing was beneficial for Landrum.

Sam Bergman, a viola player, started his musical journey with the violin. His second violin teacher was Marylou Speaker Churchill, the principal second violin of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At 9, Bergman spent a week at Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony's summer home. This experience, which included backstage access, daily violin lessons, and interactions with the BSO players, made Bergman consider a career in music.

Cellist Sonia Mantell’s early musical influences include the opera Where the Wild Things Are, composed by Oliver Knussen. As a child, Mantell was fascinated by how the music portrayed emotion and atmosphere. She met the composer during her undergraduate studies and expressed her admiration for his work.

Timpanist Erich Rieppel's musical awakening came later in life. As a child, his father would lift him and fly him around the living room while singing the “Ride of the Valkyries” theme. It was only decades later that Rieppel realized that the tune was from Richard Wagner's Ring cycle.

Søndergård's first encounter with classical music was at Copenhagen’s Royal Theatre, where he saw the ballet Coppélia with music by Leo Delibes. The music left a lasting impression on him. Søndergård hopes that many children will have similar experiences that they will remember for a lifetime. The January 7 concert, Classics with Thomas Søndergård, has limited tickets available.

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