Thomas Søndergård (born 4 October 1969 in

Holstebro Holstebro is the main town in Holstebro Municipality, Denmark. The town, bisected by ''Storåen'' ("The Large Creek") and has a population of 36,489 (1 January 2022).

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

) is a Danish conductor and percussionist.

Biography

EUYO

Søndergård studied percussion at the

Royal Danish Academy of Music The Royal Danish Academy of Music, or Royal Danish Conservatory of Music ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium), in Copenhagen is the oldest professional institution of musical education in Denmark as well as the largest, with approxima ...

from 1989 to 1992, where his teachers included Gert Mortensen. In the same years, he was a member of the

European Union Youth Orchestra The European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) is a youth orchestra with members drawn from the 27 members states of the European Union. Since its foundation in 1976, it has connected music colleges and the professional music world for generations o ...

RDO

Søndergård joined the

Royal Danish Orchestra The Royal Danish Orchestra (''Det Kongelige Kapel'') is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The Danish name for the orchestra indicates its original function as an ensemble geared to supplying the music for court events. The Royal Danish Orch ...

as a percussionist in 1992. He served on the faculty of the Royal Danish Academy of Music from 2001 to 2002. Søndergård devoted greater attention to conducting from age 27. After his debut at The Royal Danish Opera with the premiere of

Poul Ruders Poul Ruders (born 27 March 1949) is a Danish composer. Life Born in Ringsted, Ruders trained as an organist, and studied orchestration with Karl Aage Rasmussen. Ruders's first compositions date from the mid-1960s. Ruders regards his own compos ...

's ''Kafka's Trial'' in 2005, he joined Askonas Holt management. In 2009, Søndergård became principal conductor of the

Norwegian Radio Orchestra The Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Norwegian, ''Kringkastingsorkestret'', abbreviated as KORK) is a radio orchestra affiliated with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (''Norsk rikskringkasting AS'', or NRK). Its principal base is the ''Store Studi ...

(KORK). He concluded his KORK tenure after the 2011-2012 season.

BBC NOW

Søndergård first conducted the

BBC National Orchestra of Wales The BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) ( cy, Cerddorfa Genedlaethol Gymreig y BBC) is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional radio orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation ...

(BBC NOW) in December 2009, as an emergency substitute for

Thierry Fischer Thierry Fischer (born 28 September 1957) is a Swiss orchestra conductor and flutist. Early life and education Fischer was born in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Zambia) to Swiss parents. He studied flute with Aurèle Nicolet and began ...

. In July 2011, Søndergård was named the 14th principal conductor of the BBC NOW, effective with the 2012-2013 season, for an initial contract of four years. In February 2016, the BBC NOW announced the further extension of his contract as principal conductor through "at least 2018". Søndergård formally concluded his tenure as principal conductor of the BBC NOW in July 2018.

RSNO

Søndergård first guest-conducted the

Royal Scottish National Orchestra The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) ( gd, Orcastra Nàiseanta Rìoghail na h-Alba) is a British orchestra, based in Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of the five national performing arts companies of Scotland. Throughout its history, the Or ...

(RSNO) in 2009, as an emergency substitute for

Yakov Kreizberg Yakov Kreizberg (russian: Яков Крейцберг; born Yakov Mayevich Bychkov, 24 October 1959 – 15 March 2011) was a Russian-born American conductor. Early years In the Soviet Union Yakov Bychkov was born in Leningrad into a family o ...

. In October 2011, the RSNO named him its principal guest conductor, effective with the 2012-2013 season, with an initial contract of three years for three programmes per year. In May 2017, the RSNO announced Søndergård's appointment as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018-2019 season. In February 2021, the RSNO announced the extension of Søndergård's contract as music director through autumn 2024. In December 2021, Søndergård first guest-conducted the

Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Emi ...

. He returned for another guest-conducting engagement in April 2022. In July 2022, the orchestra announced Søndergård's appointment as its music director, effective with the 2023-2024 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. Sondergard has made several recordings for the Linn label and the DaCapo label, including music of Bent Lorentzen,

Per Nørgård Per Nørgård (; born 13 July 1932) is a Danish composer and music theorist. Though his style has varied considerably throughout his career, his music has often included repeatedly evolving melodies—such as the infinity series—in the vein o ...

, and

. In July 2022, Sondergard married his longtime partner, the Swedish baritone Andreas Landin.

References

External links

Askonas Holt agency biography of Thomas Søndergård

DaCapo Records English-language biography of Søndergård

Dansk Kapelmesterforening (Danish Conductors Association) page on Thomas Søndergård

Laura Sinnerton, "Thomas Søndergård joins BBC NOW as principal conductor". BBC Wales Music blog, 12 July 2011

Rhodri Lewis, "New conductor for BBC National Orchestra of Wales". BBC News Wales, 12 July 2011

Caroline Rigby, "BBC National Orchestra of Wales plays for new conductor". BBC News Wales, 13 July 2011

Meet the Music Director Designate: Thomas Søndergård
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sondergard, Thomas 1969 births Living people Danish conductors (music) Male conductors (music) Royal Danish Academy of Music alumni Danish percussionists Timpanists Academic staff of the Royal Danish Academy of Music 20th-century conductors (music) 21st-century conductors (music) 20th-century drummers 20th-century Danish male musicians 21st-century male musicians People from Holstebro LGBT classical musicians 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people