Minnesota Opera Orchestra is a professional per-service ensemble with wages and working conditions being governed by a Master Agreement between Minnesota Opera and the American Federation of Musicians Local 30-73. The orchestra is composed of a core of 46 players who receive offers of first refusal for all season productions (according to the instrumental requirements of the operas). Minnesota Opera also engages extra musicians for those operas with a larger complement of instruments.
Minnesota Opera Orchestra
Core Members
Violin I
Allison Ostrander (Concertmaster)
Julia Persitz
David Mickens
Allison Ostrander
Judy Thon-Jones
Angela Waterman Hanson
Andrea Een
Conor O’Brien
Violin II
Laurie Petruconis, principal
Elizabeth Decker
Stephan Orsak
Melinda Marshall
Margaret Humphrey
Elise Parker
Viola
David Auerbach, principal
Emily Hagen
Vivi Erickson
Laurel Browne
Jenny Lind Nilsson
Susan Janda
Cello
James Jacobson, principal
Sally Gibson Dorer
Rebecca Arons
Tom Austin
Bass
John Michael Smith, principal
Constance Martin
Flute
Michele Frisch, principal
Amy Morris
Oboe
Michael Dayton, principal
Mark Seerup
Clarinet
Open, principal
Nina Olsen
Bassoon
Coreen Nordling, principal
Laurie Hatcher Merz
Horn
Matt Wilson, principal
Charles Hodgson
Timothy Bradley
Lawrence Barnhart
Trumpet
John Koopmann, principal
Christopher Volpe
Trombone
Phillip Ostrander, principal
John Tranter
David Stevens
Tuba
Ralph Hepola, principal
Timpani
Kory Andry, principal
Percussion
Matthew Barber, principal
Harp
Min J. Kim, principal
Photo taken by: Travis Anderson
Auditions for temporary or permanent vacancies are held as necessary. Auditions for the substitute/extra list are generally held every 2 years. Auditions notices will be posted approximately 6 weeks in advance on this website and in the DUET publication. Notices for important core positions may also be posted in the International Musician.
Visit Minnesota Opera's Auditions Page for information on Minnesota Opera Orchestra auditions.
For further information regarding the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, you may contact Artistic Administrator, Roxanne Stouffer Cruz at roxy@mnopera.org.