Catherine Himmerich, concertmaster, joined the Minnesota Philharmonic in 2012 and was the featured soloist on Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane in 2016 and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto in 2019. She has performed with artists ranging from the Eagles and Hanson to Andrea Bocelli and Sigur Rós. She has also been concertmaster for various opera companies and choral/orchestral ensembles in the Twin Cities, including Journey North Opera Company and the Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company. Additionally, she plays in the Metamorphosis Duo with MPO associate concertmaster, Joe Dolson, and their repertoire focuses heavily on violin duos by women, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC composers.
A member of the violin faculty at the Laurel School of Music, she has a long-standing commitment to including repertoire by underrepresented composers in her teaching, and she is passionate about working with students from communities who have historically not had access to music instruction. With both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota, she has studied with Roger Frisch, Roland Vamos, J. Patrick Rafferty, and Korey Konkol.
Olivia Sletteland is a versatile freelance percussionist, arts administrator, and music educator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Recent and upcoming performances include La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Valley Orchestra, Heartland Marimba, Opera Reading Project, St. Paul Civic Orchestra, and several other ensembles and projects. Additionally, Olivia is a founding member of LEFT/RIGHT Percussion, a Minneapolis-based percussion duo performing the music of living/recent composers.
In addition to performing, Olivia is the operations manager for the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra and the marketing director for the Saint John’s Boys’ Choir. As an educator, Olivia is the adjunct percussion instructor at Winona State University, the drumline instructor for UW-La Crosse’s Screaming Eagles Marching Band, and a front ensemble instructor for Eastview High School Marching Band and River City Rhythm.
Olivia received her Master’s of Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Missouri-Columbia with Dr. Megan Arns and Dr. Julia Gaines, where she was a graduate assistant for the Mizzou New Music Initiative and percussion studio and a performing member of the Mizzou New Music Ensemble. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Percussion Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she studied with Dr. Jeffery Crowell. Outside of her formal studies, Olivia has studied at the Neif Norf summer new music festival and worked with master musicians including Musekiwa Chingodza, Othnell Moyo, and Fodé Bangoura.
Olivia is a proud endorser of Artifact Percussion.
In her free time, Olivia loves to hike and explore the outdoors with her partner and puppy.
Brian serves as the Music Librarian where he serves on the MPO’s Programming Committee, communicates with music publishers to rent or purchase performance pieces, manages the music library, distributes and collects the music to and from the musicians, and communicates issues relating to the Music Library with the Music Director and Board of Directors.
Brian Hadley joined the MPO in 1998 as second bassoon and has been principal bassoon since 2000. He has served on the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2011 in many different roles including personnel manager, ensemble coordinator, Vice President and President. In addition to the MPO, Brian plays with other local community music groups including Kenwood Symphony Orchestra and the Praise Team at All Gods’ Children Metropolitan Church in Minneapolis.
Brian has taught music, band and orchestra in the Minneapolis Public School district since 1997 and currently teaches band at Pillsbury Elementary and Olson Middle School. Brian has also been performing, teaching or judging in the marching band/drum corps/color guard activity for almost 30 years. Brian currently judges for the North Star Color Guard Circuit and has served as Chief Judge for the NSC from 2005 – 2011 and served on the board of directors from 2000 – 2011.
Brian lives in Richfield with his husband Matt and two cats Roger and Stewie.
