Osmo Vänskä’s encore finds him at home in Minneapolis

It’s been four years since Osmo Vänskä stepped down from his role as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, a position he held for nearly two decades. Lucky for us, he hasn’t gone far. Vänskä still makes Minneapolis his home, living in an apartment near the Mississippi River with his wife, Minnesota Orchestra’s concertmaster Erin Keefe. He also continues to work with the Orchestra as conductor laureate. 

On Nov. 13 and 14, Vänskä will take up the baton for the second week of the orchestra’s Nordic Soundscapes Festival, now in its third iteration. Initiated under current music director Thomas Søndergård’s leadership, the festival celebrates Nordic composers, including those from the home countries of both Søndergård (Denmark) and Vänskä (Finland). 

Vänskä is pleased with the ongoing collaboration with his colleague. “I have heard...