The Minnesota Orchestra has appointed Katherine Siochi as its next principal harpist. Siochi will phase into her new role this fall. She will play in October on a program led by Music Director Designate Thomas Søndergård, as well as in November for the orchestra’s performances and recording sessions of Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony led by Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä. She will begin regularly performing with the orchestra starting with the New Year’s Celebration in 2023.
“Minnesota Orchestra is a fantastic group,” Siochi says. “There’s a cohesiveness between their musicians that is unmatched by most ensembles. I first got to hear them when I was 16 years old, while I was in Minneapolis participating in the Suzuki Association of the Americas conference. As part of the conference, I had the chance to perform chamber music at Orchestra Hall prior to attending the Minnesota Orchestra’s concert. That concert was my first memory of seeing a truly great orchestra perform. To return to this stage 12 years later, now as one of their colleagues, is incredibly special and a bit unreal. And it’s a particularly exciting time to be joining, as they have just announced their new music director, Thomas Søndergård!”
Currently serving as principal harp for the Kansas City Symphony, Siochi earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in harp performance from the Juilliard School. In 2016, she was awarded a gold medal in the USA International Harp Competition. Last year, she released her debut solo album Nocturne on Lyon & Healy Records, featuring her interpretations of music originally composed for piano.
Read Harp Column’s cover interview with Siochi in our September/October 2016 issue. Learn more about Siochi on her website.
