Thomas Søndergård Conductor

Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård is music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He was a percussionist in the Royal Danish Orchestra, starting his conducting career with the premiere of Poul Ruders's opera Kafka's Trial, which opened the new Royal Danish Opera building. Music director of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales from 2012-18, Søndergård leads his second annual Nordic Soundscapes Festival in Minneapolis in January 2026.

- 

I started my musical career in the percussion section of a marching band in my hometown, Holstebro, where we had a very passionate teacher. He and my parents encouraged me to go to a music school. At that time STEVIE WONDER made an incredible impression on me - his tunes, harmony, melody and, not least, groove. And his lyrics really hit home with me as an adolescent first encountering love, parties and friendships. I played his music with friends in a marimba band - maybe not the ideal instrument, but doing it collectively as a band, you learn how it knits together, how harmonies work, all without sitting down to learn. I still listen to Stevie Wonder and find that most artists today come nowhere near his quality.

Danish schools give 10 and 11 year-olds a week off for careers experience. Other students might have done a week in a dental surgery or on a farm, but I chose to go to the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. During that week I saw stage rehearsals for RICHARD STRAUSS's Elektra and DELIBES's Coppélia - and if there was anything that changed my life it was these two works, which couldn't be further from each other! I was drawn into the story of