Gordon Sprenger on Friday accepted the task of helping to heal the Minnesota Orchestra. Sprenger, 76, was elected as board chairman at a moment when the organization returns to music after a 16-month lockout of musicians.
"I want to move past this era of 'we' and 'they' to where it is only we," said Sprenger in an interview Friday. "I don't mean just musicians, board and staff but the entire community. To have this world-class orchestra, we need the collaboration and support of community in the broadest sense."
Sprenger has extensive experience in the nonprofit world. He is the retired CEO of Allina Health Systems, and has served on the boards of St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary. He joined the Minnesota Orchestra board in 2006 and chaired the organization's architect-selection committee for the recently concluded Orchestra Hall remodeling project. He was a campaign vice chair for the Building for the Future Campaign — an effort to add to the organization's endowment.
"My style is to engage people," Sprenger said. "I am going to meet with musicians next week to see how we can collaborate — what areas they have interest in."
Clarinetist Tim Zavadil, who led the musicians in the recently concluded contract talks, said Friday that he understands Sprenger to be a man "who loves the Minnesota Orchestra."
"We look forward to sitting down and talking about the future of the organization," Zavadil said, indicating that the musicians feel the selection of a music director needs to be the top priority.
Osmo Vänskä, who resigned last October, has indicated that he might entertain a return to Minnesota. Sprenger said Friday that he knows Vänskä has spoken with friends on the board of directors but that an official overture has not been made.
"I intend to get right on that," he said, referring to the question of hiring a music director.
