Minnesota O Names New Prez & CEO

Isaac Thompson, president and CEO of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, former managing director of the New York Philharmonic, is to be the new president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra. He succeeds Michelle Miller Burns, in the job six years. She left to take the top administrative job at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Kim Noltemy, now CEO of  the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Meanwhile Brent Assink has been serving as interim in Minnesota since September 2024.

Thompson, who is originally from the Twin Cities area and grew up attending Minnesota Orchestra concerts, starts his new job October 14, the same month he started in Oregon in 2023.

“We were drawn to Isaac’s vision for what an orchestra can mean to its community when it knits together artistic, social and civic connections with real impact” said Minnesota Board Chair Nancy Lindhal. “He comes to this role with an impressive background encompassing creative collaborations with orchestra musicians and artistic leaders, significant experience securing private and public support, an understanding of how to truly strengthen community connections and a bold, entrepreneurial spirit.”

During his New York Philharmonic tenure, Thompson worked directly with Deborah Borda, playing a key role in the time leading up to and during the David Geffen Hall renovation, as well as planning Jaap van Zweden’s inaugural season as music director and the orchestra’s initial tenure in Geffen Hall.  

Prior to New York, Thompson was director of artistic administration at the Cincinnati Symphony.

As a budding violinist, Thompson played in the Minnesota Youth Symphonies and studied violin with Nancy Lokken and former Minnesota Orchestra Concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis in high school. He holds a BM in violin performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a master’s from the University of Texas at Austin.

“The opportunity to return to Minnesota to lead my hometown orchestra at this moment is deeply meaningful,” said Thompson. “Many of my formative musical experiences occurred at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, and I credit my knowledge of and love for the symphonic repertoire to the Minnesota Orchestra. The admiration with which Minnesota holds its flagship symphony orchestra is truly inspiring, and I look forward to partnering with Music Director Thomas Søndergård,” soon to embark on his third term at the orchestra’s helm.